SpicyFalafel'S MOCK DRAFT
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SpicyFalafel'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON APR 26, 2026

2026 Roster

  • SpicyFalafel DRAFTING FOR THE
    Lions
Draft Selections
Blake Miller Head Shot
PICK: 17 RND: 1 (DET)
Blake Miller
OT Clemson
Keith Abney II Head Shot
PICK: 18 RND: 1 (DET)
Keith Abney II
CB Arizona State
Derrick Moore Head Shot
PICK: 50 RND: 2 (DET)
Derrick Moore
DE-EDGE Michigan
Jimmy Rolder Head Shot
PICK: 118 RND: 4 (DET)
Jimmy Rolder
LB Michigan
Kendrick Law Head Shot
PICK: 128 RND: 4 (DET)
Kendrick Law
WR Kentucky
Skyler Gill-Howard Head Shot
PICK: 157 RND: 5 (DET)
Skyler Gill-Howard
DT Texas Tech
Damon Payne Head Shot
PICK: 181 RND: 5 (DET)
Damon Payne
DL Michigan
Darnell Jefferies Head Shot
PICK: 205 RND: 6 (DET)
Darnell Jefferies
DL Minnesota
Kelvin Gilliam Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 213 RND: 6 (DET)
Kelvin Gilliam Jr.
DL Virginia Tech
Bryce Carter Head Shot
PICK: 222 RND: 7 (DET)
Bryce Carter
DE Texas State
Draft Picks Received
Keith Abney II Head Shot
PICK: 18 RND: 1 (MIN)
Keith Abney II
CB Arizona State
Draft Picks Traded
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 1 (LV)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 2 (LV)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Grade — Lions
Overall C
ValueF NeedB+ TradesA+ FutureD-
The Lions turned the phones into found money: C.

The Lions put a flag in the ground for Bryce Carter, 253 picks before anyone else would have, and the value took the hit. Call it a C and check back in two years.

They won the margins on every swap, and it adds up fast. A whole weekend of picks and safety is somehow still a want. Spend now, pay later; the math only works if this class delivers.

So much rides on Blake Miller that the real verdict is a season or two away.

Pick Analysis
Pick17 Rnd1 Blake Miller
In the 17th overall pick they get a plug-and-play piece up front, though the board says they badly overpaid. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
Pick18 Rnd1 Keith Abney II
In the 18th pick they get an island corner, a steep price for the projection. Exactly the need they had to hit.
Pick50 Rnd2 Derrick Moore
Derrick Moore at slot 50 is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick118 Rnd4 Jimmy Rolder
This one needs a full-page explanation: Jimmy Rolder in the Round 4 slot, miles early. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick128 Rnd4 Kendrick Law
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Kendrick Law well ahead of where he belonged. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Pick157 Rnd5 Skyler Gill-Howard
A reasonable price with a little left over, Skyler Gill-Howard in No. 157. A minor itch, scratched.
Pick181 Rnd5 Damon Payne
Damon Payne at the 181st pick is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
Pick205 Rnd6 Darnell Jefferies
Darnell Jefferies at pick No. 205 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
Pick213 Rnd6 Kelvin Gilliam Jr.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Kelvin Gilliam Jr.. A want dressed up as a pick, at a spot they had covered.
Pick222 Rnd7 Bryce Carter
They left a pile of value on the table to take Bryce Carter this early at No. 222. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.