Lions NFL draft grades 2026, experts react to Brad Holmes' picks

USA TODAY Sports: B

The Lions' draft class ranked 12th out of 32 NFL teams. Writer Nate Davis said Miller and Moore project as Week 1 starters at critical positions, and the moves could be enough to re-join the playoffs next season. "Moore may be a long-term wingman off the edge opposite fellow ex-Wolverine Aidan Hutchinson," Davis wrote. "This year’s third-rounder was invested in a 2025 trade that netted promising WR3 Isaac TeSlaa. In totality, it might be enough to get a team that will benefit from a last-place schedule in 2026 back to the postseason."

ESPN: B

NFL draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. said Miller is tough to beat in pass protection (1.8% pressure rate in 2025) and should be Jahmyr Gibbs' "new best friend in the run game." Kiper is not sure if the Lions did enough to address defensive end, and said he might have taken Zion Young (Missouri/Michigan State) instead of Moore − Young was taken with the next pick by Baltimore − but called mid-round defensive picks Jimmy Rolder and Keith Abney II "solid additions." Kiper likes that Rolder "is versatile and has some burst as a blitzer. But where he really stands out is his ability to diagnose. He's a smart football player. Abney is undersized (5-10, 187), but he gets his hands on the ball. Abney had 20 pass breakups and five picks over the past two years. He should be a good backup."

Yahoo Sports: B-

Nate Tice − the son of former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Tice who played for more than a decade in the NFL as a tight and spent many years as NFL offensive line coach − said he's "not the biggest fan" of bumping Penei Sewell to the left side after how he’s established himself as a premier right tackle, but "Miller’s combination of size, athleticism and consistency has the Lions’ right tackle spot in good hands for years to come." Tice thinks Moore's well-rounded game complements Aidan Hutchinson’s rush-first game well, and called Abney the most interesting Lions' pick and likes him as a slot defender.

CBS Sports: B

CBS' Mike Renner did not like going fit over best player available with the Miller pick, which earned a C though they admitted "it's hard not to love the pick." CBS said the Lions rebounded in the second round by snatching Moore (A-), and CBS' Josh Edwards gave the Abney pick an A- in Round 5.

NFL Network: A-

Chad Reuter loved the Miller pick, giving it an A, and graded the Lions' Day 3 haul as an A, too. "Detroit needed a linebacker and Rolder's aggressive style will endear him to Lions fans," Reuter wrote. "Law is a receiver in a running back's body and should get a look as a returner during training camp. Gill-Howard is undersized but stood out on Texas Tech’s star-studded defense before an ankle injury ended his season."

NBC Sports: C+

Kyle Dvorchak was not in love with the class, though he thought it was smart to take Miller and move Penei Sewell to left tackle, instead of taking an inferior left tackle prospect and forcing them to start right away. But Dvorchak didn't understand the selection of Law. "He never earned playing time at Alabama and peaked at 540 yards in his lone season at Kentucky. He looks more like a special teamer based on his production profile, and the Lions gave up a late-round selection to move up and grab him." Dvorchak was more harsh in his grades overall: Only the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys earned at least an A-.

The Ringer: B

Danny Kelly called it "a classic meat-and-potatoes draft for the Lions." He called Miller a tough and durable right tackle with 54 career starts at Clemson, and Moore is a tough and tenacious power rusher who "would rather go through offensive tackles than try to get around them, and more often than not he seems to succeed with this plan." Kelly also liked the Abney pick in the fifth round, calling him "an instinctive and savvy defender with a knack for getting his hands on the football. It’s another rough-and-tumble draft class for Detroit."

Pro Football Focus: B-

PFF wrote Moore's lack of length may limit his sack totals in the NFL, Rolder "offers intriguing upside," − Rolder noted the same thing Saturday after the Lions picked him − and Abney's lack of length and top-tier athleticism might make him limit him to heavy zone schemes, "but his competitiveness and run-defense mentality make him a valuable rotational defensive back with starter potential."

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions draft grades from NFL experts on 2026 class