Zye'S MOCK DRAFT
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Zye'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON JAN 24, 2026

defense heavy

  • Zye DRAFTING FOR THE
    Lions
Draft Selections
Arvell Reese Head Shot
PICK: 26 RND: 1 (DET)
Arvell Reese
LB Ohio State
Akheem Mesidor Head Shot
PICK: 30 RND: 1 (DET)
Akheem Mesidor
DL-EDGE Miami
Olaivavega Ioane Head Shot
PICK: 50 RND: 2 (DET)
Olaivavega Ioane
OG Penn State
Dillon Thieneman Head Shot
PICK: 60 RND: 2 (DET)
Dillon Thieneman
S Oregon
D'Angelo Ponds Head Shot
PICK: 82 RND: 3 (DET)
D'Angelo Ponds
CB Indiana
Sam Roush Head Shot
PICK: 155 RND: 5 (DET)
Sam Roush
TE Stanford
Taylen Green Head Shot
PICK: 168 RND: 5 (DET)
Taylen Green
QB Arkansas
Kamran James Head Shot
PICK: 186 RND: 6 (DET)
Kamran James
DE-EDGE Florida
Trey Zuhn III Head Shot
PICK: 194 RND: 6 (DET)
Trey Zuhn III
OT Texas A&M
Draft Picks Received
Arvell Reese Head Shot
PICK: 26 RND: 1 (BUF)
Arvell Reese
LB Ohio State
Akheem Mesidor Head Shot
PICK: 30 RND: 1 (NE)
Akheem Mesidor
DL-EDGE Miami
Dillon Thieneman Head Shot
PICK: 60 RND: 2 (BUF)
Dillon Thieneman
S Oregon
D'Angelo Ponds Head Shot
PICK: 82 RND: 3 (MIN)
D'Angelo Ponds
CB Indiana
Taylen Green Head Shot
PICK: 168 RND: 5 (NE)
Taylen Green
QB Arkansas
Trey Zuhn III Head Shot
PICK: 194 RND: 6 (MIN)
Trey Zuhn III
OT Texas A&M
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 6 (DEN)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (DEN)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Picks Traded
Jeremiyah Love Head Shot
PICK: 17 RND: 1 (MIN)
Jeremiyah Love
RB Notre Dame
Jack Endries Head Shot
PICK: 118 RND: 4 (NE)
Jack Endries
TE Texas
Isaiah Jatta Head Shot
PICK: 203 RND: 6 (DEN)
Isaiah Jatta
OT BYU
Jerry Wilson Head Shot
PICK: 212 RND: 6 (DEN)
Jerry Wilson
CB Florida State
Robert Spears-Jennings Head Shot
PICK: 222 RND: 7 (CIN)
Robert Spears-Jennings
S Oklahoma
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 1 (ARI)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Grade — Lions
Overall B
ValueB- NeedB+ TradesA+ FutureD+
The Lions fleeced the room on the phones and earned a B.

The Lions torched the value chart for Kamran James, taking him 75 spots sooner than anyone had him slotted.

Every deal seemed to tilt their way, which is not luck. On value alone, Reese makes the weekend a net positive. That running back hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall.

They are betting the present roster is worth a lighter draft next spring.

Nothing here to lose sleep over, and plenty to feel decent about.

Pick Analysis
Pick26 Rnd1 Arvell Reese
In the 26th overall pick they get a green-dot type in the middle, outstanding value to boot.
Pick30 Rnd1 Akheem Mesidor
In pick 30 they get a bendy edge with upside, though the board says they badly overpaid. Exactly the need they had to hit.
Pick50 Rnd2 Olaivavega Ioane
A quiet steal in the Round 2 slot: Olaivavega Ioane for less than the market said. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Pick60 Rnd2 Dillon Thieneman
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Dillon Thieneman in pick No. 60. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Pick82 Rnd3 D'Angelo Ponds
D'Angelo Ponds in the 82nd pick is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick155 Rnd5 Sam Roush
Sam Roush in Round 5, Pick 17 is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Pick168 Rnd5 Taylen Green
A reasonable price with a little left over, Taylen Green in No. 168. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Pick186 Rnd6 Kamran James
A real head-scratcher, Kamran James in the 186th overall pick is miles ahead of his ranking. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Pick194 Rnd6 Trey Zuhn III
By-the-book stuff, Trey Zuhn III at slot 194 squarely in line with his ranking. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.