Albert Pujols & Yadi Molina Going into St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame
Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina are set to enter the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame!
The Detroit Lions completed the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting seven players to meet key franchise needs. Anonymous league executives provided insights on the Lions' draft strategy and selections.
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:
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.”
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.”
NFL executives praised the Lions for knowing their identity and their desired direction with the 2026 draft picks.
The Detroit Lions selected seven players during the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Lions addressed several key needs with their top two picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina are set to enter the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame!
KL Rahul's 75 runs propel him to the top of the IPL 2026 Orange Cap standings!
Joel Embiid discusses the importance of roster continuity for the Sixers during playoffs.
Warriors considering reunion with $54 million NBA champion forward replaced by Durant

Liverpool is considering a summer transfer for Bradley Barcola, with PSG also interested.
Blue Jays face Twins tonight at 7:10 PM Central. Weather: 52°.
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
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.
For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Josh on X, @JoshOnLions
This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Anonymous execs comment on Detroit Lions' 2026 NFL Draft picks