ScholarlyViking'S MOCK DRAFT
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ScholarlyViking'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON APR 17, 2026

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Mock drafts from ScholarlyViking

FS1

  • ScholarlyViking DRAFTING FOR THE
    Lions
Draft Selections
Olaivavega Ioane Head Shot
PICK: 17 RND: 1 (DET)
Olaivavega Ioane
OG Penn State
Gabe Jacas Head Shot
PICK: 50 RND: 2 (DET)
Gabe Jacas
LB-EDGE Illinois
Trey Zuhn III Head Shot
PICK: 118 RND: 4 (DET)
Trey Zuhn III
C Texas A&M
Jalon Kilgore Head Shot
PICK: 128 RND: 4 (DET)
Jalon Kilgore
CB South Carolina
Ephesians Prysock Head Shot
PICK: 157 RND: 5 (DET)
Ephesians Prysock
CB Washington
VJ Payne Head Shot
PICK: 181 RND: 5 (DET)
VJ Payne
S Kansas State
Jeff Caldwell Head Shot
PICK: 205 RND: 6 (DET)
Jeff Caldwell
WR Cincinnati
Dasan McCullough Head Shot
PICK: 213 RND: 6 (DET)
Dasan McCullough
LB-EDGE Nebraska
Aaron Graves Head Shot
PICK: 222 RND: 7 (DET)
Aaron Graves
DT Iowa
Draft Grade — Lions
Overall B-
ValueC+ NeedA- TradesB- FutureB-
Nothing loud, just a tidy B- for the Lions.

The Lions bet big and early on Dasan McCullough, 110 picks ahead of the board. Bold does not always mean right. Solid and sensible more than spectacular: a B-.

The Kilgore value carries more weight than any single miss elsewhere. They punted on linebacker, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest.

In short, they left a little better than they arrived, which is the whole idea.

Pick Analysis
Pick17 Rnd1 Olaivavega Ioane
In Round 1, Pick 17 they get a long-term starter on the line at fair value. The biggest hole, addressed.
Pick50 Rnd2 Gabe Jacas
No edge and no loss on Gabe Jacas in slot 50; it is a wash and a sensible one. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick118 Rnd4 Trey Zuhn III
A reach on Trey Zuhn III in pick 118; the board had better options right there. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Pick128 Rnd4 Jalon Kilgore
You do not let a cornerback like Jalon Kilgore reach the 128th pick and blink. They did not. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Pick157 Rnd5 Ephesians Prysock
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Ephesians Prysock. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Pick181 Rnd5 VJ Payne
They left a pile of value on the table to take VJ Payne this early at No. 181. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick205 Rnd6 Jeff Caldwell
Value with a capital V on Jeff Caldwell in pick 205, a genuine coup. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick213 Rnd6 Dasan McCullough
They reached into another round for Dasan McCullough, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Pick222 Rnd7 Aaron Graves
Aaron Graves slipping to No. 222 is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. A minor need, but a need all the same.