With just days until the 2026 NFL Draft, the PODcast crew opted to turn our draft preview episode into an all-out mock draft competition.
Here was the task:
Create the best Detroit Lions four-round mock draft using the following rules:
- Instead of using PFF’s big board, we utilized Wide Left’s consensus big board to guide the automatic selections around the Lions’ picks.
- You are not allowed to pick a player listed higher on the consensus big board than your draft position. For example, if Vega Ioane (13th on the big board) was available 17th overall, he could not be selected. This way, one of us couldn’t take advantage of an unrealistic player dropping. We wanted an even playing field.
- No limit on trades, but try to make it somewhat realistic.
With those rules in place, here’s what each of us came up with:
Jeremy Reisman’s four-round mock:
- Round 1, Pick 17: Georgia OT Monroe Freeling
- Round 2, Pick 57 (trade down): Arizona DB Treydan Stukes
- Round 3, Pick 77 (trade up): Michigan EDGE/LB Jaishawn Barham
- Round 4, Pick 128: Southeastern Louisiana DT Kaleb Proctor
Trade down:
- Lions received: Pick 57, Pick 89
- Bears received: Pick 50
Trade up:
- Lions received: Pick 77
- Buccaneers received: Pick 89, Pick 118, Pick 205
Meko Scott’s four-round mock
- Round 1, Pick 23 (trade down): Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor
- Round 2, Pick 50: PSU EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton
- Round 3, Pick 98: Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson
- Round 4, Pick 118: TCU LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr
- Round 4, Pick 128: UM DT Rayshaun Benny
Trade down:
- Lions received: Pick 23, Pick 98
- Eagles received: Pick 17
Ryan Mathews’ four-round mock
- Round 1, Pick 29 (trade down): Clemson OT Blake Miller
- Round 2, Pick 40: Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez
- Round 2, Pick 53: (trade up) Miami CB Keionte Scott
- Round 4, Pick 118: Washington CB Tacario Davis
Trade down:
- Lions received: Pick 29, Pick 40, Pick 74
- Chiefs received: Pick 17, Pick 50
Trade up:
- Lions received: Pick 53
- Steelers received: Pick 74, PIck 128, 2027 third-round pick
If you want to hear us discuss each mock draft, why we made the moves we did, and break down each prospect we selected, make sure you listen to the entire
episode on your favorite podcasting platform or use the Spotify embed below.
You can also catch the video version of the PODcast on our YouTube page or Twitch channel. That has bonus content there.
In the meantime, discuss you favorite of the three drafts? Who won? Who had the worst draft? Call them out in the comment section below.
