Day 3 Could Define This Draft Class for Detroit
It could be a busy day for the Detroit Lions. And hell, it better be.
They enter Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft with six picks in hand. That’s six chances to find contributors, six opportunities to add depth, six shots at proving this front office knows how to squeeze value out of the later rounds.
Here’s where the Lions sit heading into Saturday afternoon:
Round 4, Pick 18 (118 overall)
Round 5, Pick 17 (157 overall)
Round 5, Pick 41 (181 overall)
Round 6, Pick 24 (205 overall)
Round 6, Pick 32 (213 overall)
Round 7, Pick 6 (222 overall)
Make or Break Territory
With only two selections made so far, the Lions will have to make the most of their Day 3 picks in order to get a high-impact draft class. No pressure or anything.
Six picks in the next 122 selections gives Detroit real ammunition. The question is whether they can hit their targets. We’ve seen this organization find gems in the later rounds before, but we’ve also watched them whiff spectacularly when the lights are brightest.
Day 3 is where depth gets built and special teams units get filled. It’s where smart organizations separate themselves from the pretenders. For a Lions team that knows it’s in win-now mode, these picks matter more than usual.
How to Watch the Chaos Unfold
Saturday, April 25 kicks off at noon ET from Pittsburgh, PA. You’ve got options for your viewing pleasure:
NFL Network brings Rich Eisen, Daniel Jeremiah, Charles Davis, and Ian Rapoport to the booth. ESPN counters with Rece Davis anchoring alongside Mel Kiper Jr., Matt Miller, Louis Riddick, Field Yates, and Peter Schrager. ABC is simulcasting ESPN’s broadcast.
Streaming? NFL Plus, ESPN App, ABC, Hulu, and Disney+ have you covered. Radio listeners can tune into Westwood One, Sirius XM, or ESPN Radio.
Six picks. One afternoon. Time to see if this front office can close the deal on what could be a defining draft class in Honolulu Blue.
Think the Lions can find impact players this deep in the draft, or are we setting ourselves up for another round of disappointment? Drop your predictions below.
Six picks on Day 3 is huge and I’m genuinely excited about this. This front office has shown they know how to build through the draft, and having that many shots at finding guys who can contribute is exactly what we need in win-now mode. Let’s go Lions!
Look, I want to believe they can nail all six picks but I’ve watched this team disappoint me too many times in the later rounds. Hope they prove me wrong this time, but I’m holding my breath until I see these guys actually produce on Sundays.
Day 3 is where you really tell if a front office has done their homework. I’ve been watching Lions drafts for decades and the teams that win are the ones who can find value deep. This roster needs depth, so Saturday better be good.