NFC executive praises Detroit Lions’ 2026 draft

Oct 19, 2024; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers offensive lineman Blake Miller (78) looks on during warm ups prior to the game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Alexander Hicks-Imagn Images | Alexander Hicks-Imagn Images

One of the more interesting parts of the post-NFL Draft process is hearing what anonymous NFL insiders are saying about each pick. The media landscape has caught onto the fact that fans absolutely love hearing praise about their team from employees inside the league. So ESPN's Jeremy Fowler tapped into his resources and penned an entire article about how scouts, coaches, and NFL executives are reacting to each team's pick. The results tend to skew positive, but there was an interesting note or two about the Detroit Lions.

For example, there was one NFC executive who clearly thought the Lions nailed their first-round pick in Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller. Detroit had a few options at tackle-their biggest need-but opted to take Miller over Georgia's Monroe Freeling, Arizona State's Max Iheanachor, or Utah's Caleb Lomu. There were plenty of rumors Detroit was very interested in Alabama's Kadyn Proctor, but he was off the board by Detroit's 17th overall pick.

Regardless, this NFC executive believes the Lions got the best tackle in the class. From Fowler:

But Miller's name was magma-hot late in the process. He's the best tackle in the draft," said one NFC exec.

As for Detroit's other options, here's what some anonymous sources had to say:

Proctor:

And No. 12 pickKadyn Proctor, the massive Alabama left tackle, is widely considered a top five talent in the draft, though questions persist about whether he'll maximize it.

Freeling:

But eventual pickMonroe Freeling(Georgia) was highly regarded, and Utah'sCaleb Lomuwas on the Panthers' short list, too.

Iheanachor:

But the Steelers saw his power and agility in person and were very impressed. Then, at the Senior Bowl, the Steelers noticed Iheanachor and Iowa tackleGennings Dunkerlooked imposing on the same line while executing pulling plays. That set the stage for picks Nos. 21 (Iheanachor) and 96 (Dunker) last week.

Lomu:

Utah offensive tackleCaleb Lomuwas the last of the seven top offensive tackles, so it made sense for New England to trade up from No. 31 to 28 for him. There was a sizable drop-off after the top seven.

Fowler's piece also included a note about Lions fifth-round pick, receiver Kendrick Law. There's no insider sources to it, just noting that the Lions think they have a tough, versatile player who's good with the ball in his hands."