The 2026 NFL Draft is in the books. The Detroit Lions added seven players through the draft and addressed the franchise’s key needs with its top two picks.
The Athletic’s Mike Sando went around the NFL and spoke with league executives to get a pulse on what others around the NFL thought about the Lions’ 2026 NFL Draft class.
Here’s what anonymous league execs said about the Lions’ 2026 NFL Draft picks:
‘They know who they are and who they want to be’
The first exec that Sando talked to liked what the Lions did in the draft:
“They know who they are and who they want to be, so it’s more about, ‘What can you do to enhance what we already bring to the table?’” an exec said. “They needed a tackle. We have all been burned by the Clemson helmet, but Blake Miller is a good player. And I really like Keith Abney.”
The Keith Abney pick is applauded
ESPN NFL draft analyst Matt Miller picked cornerback Keith Abney as his best fifth-round value pick. One of the NFL execs that The Athletic spoke with agreed:
“Abney has some scrappiness to him,” the exec added. “He is like a better Mike Hilton. Chippy, aggressive, physical. He can play in the slot. He can be competitive on the outside despite his size. You’ll have to move him around to help him, but he’s a good player who is wired the right way for them.”
One exec wasn’t crazy about the Lions’ top two selections
While the first two execs seemed to like what the Lions did, Detroit’s first two picks weren’t for everybody. One NFL exec thought the Lions’ first two selections were underwhelming:
“Sewell will be good wherever he plays, but I’m not sure Miller will end up being a tackle, depending what they ask of him,” another exec said. “I do not think they got a lot better. Derrick Moore is steady, a doubles hitter. Good player, nothing dynamic about him.”
It’s always interesting to hear what execs from around the league think about moves that other franchises made. While the Blake Miller selection wasn’t universally beloved by execs, this small sample size does indicate that the reaction might be more positive than negative around the NFL to what the Lions did in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Anonymous execs comment on Detroit Lions’ 2026 NFL Draft picks
Reporting by Josh Helmer, Lions Wire / Lions Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
