The Grey Manes Draft Analysis: 2026 Shrine and Senior Bowls

Now that the All-Star games (sans the HBCU game on 02/11/26) have been completed, Brent had done a review and analysis on all of the information form the practice and games and put together a list of potential Lions targets for each round of the draft.

Zion Young - Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Round 1 (Pick 17):

Likely target + pivots few targets for Round 1 played in the SB or SHR bowls.  — strategy note – Your Senior Bowl (SB)/Shrine Bowl (SHR) risers mostly profile Day 2–3. At 17, Detroit likely goes best EDGE/CB from the broader top-20 (non-bowl names) or trades down. Mock roundups consistently pair DET with an EDGE in R1; if a tier drop looms, trading down toward 25–35 and adding capital to target our R2 cluster is clean.

Primary pivots at 17

• Offensive tackle (Spencer Fano, Utah) if one from the upper tier slides to 17; some mocks have Detroit going OL in R1.

• EDGE targets (e.g., Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami; David Bailey, Texas Tech; Cashius Howell, Texas A&M) rated Bailey, Howell, and Mesidor in order.

• Trade-down into the early 20s if the EDGE/OT tiers flatten—then target the same EDGE cluster while adding capital. (Local coverage has floated both EDGE and OL as R1 levers.)

Rounds 2-7 below are all focused on SB and SHR bowl games.

Round 2 (Pick ≈50) — “impact defender or CB”

• Zion Young — EDGE, Missouri (SB): rotational closer opposite Hutch.

• Max Iheanachor (Arizona State OT) (SB): Senior bowl week elevated his stock.

• Ephesians Prysock — CB, Washington (SB): long press CB for sub-packages + ST.

• Nadame Tucker — EDGE, Western Michigan (SB): if he lasts, instant sub-package rush.

• Derrick Moore — EDGE, Michigan (SB): Moore “steamrolled” Miami OT Markel Bell with a leveraged bull rush, and flashed as a run defender in scrimmage work

• Rayshaun Benny — IDL, Michigan (SB): 2i/3T rotation, pocket push.

Max Iheanachor - Idahopress

(All four align with league consensus that DET may go EDGE/CB early.)

Round 4 (Pick ≈114) — trench depth + traits CB

• James Thompson Jr. — IDL, Illinois (SHR): early-down rotation, heavy hands.

• Wesley Williams — EDGE, Duke (SHR): inside/out rush, strip-sack juice.

• Keylan Rutledge — G, Georgia Tech (SB): tone-setter; bumps IOL depth.

• Max Iheanachor — OT, Arizona State (SB): swing tackle who can dress.

Round 4 (Projected Comp) — DB/IOL value

• Domani Jackson — CB, Alabama (SHR): traits press CB to develop.

• Brian Parker II — OC/OT, Duke (SHR): center-first, tackle reps; cross-train dream.

• Jalen Huskey — S, Maryland (SB): range/ball skills; dime safety + teams.

• Bryce Boettcher — LB/S, Oregon (SB): big-nickel/SAM hybrid, high floor on ST.

  
  

  (Slotting the comp pick here reflects current projections.) 

Round 5 (Pick ≈145–155) — sub-package + OL insurance

• Jalen Huskey — S (SB) or Bryce Boettcher — LB/S (SB) (if still on board).

• Brian Parker II — OC/OT (SHR) (if he slides).

• Dean Connors — RB, Houston (SHR): RB3 with receiving utility + teams.

Round 6 (from CLE; ≈180s–190s) — field position & depth

• Kaden Wetjen — WR/KR, Iowa (SHR): return ace + gadget slot.

• Bishop Fitzgerald — S, USC (SHR): ball-hawk traits; third-safety path.

• Jake Slaughter — C, Florida (SB): sturdy interior depth.

• Austin Brown — S, Wisconsin  (SB) — R6 (CLE) (downhill, core teams profile)

Round 6 (from JAX; ≈184–204 range) — RB value

• Kaelon Black — RB, Indiana (SB): efficient yards; coverage units.

• Jaydn Ott — RB, Oklahoma/Cal (SB): contact balance + pass-pro; economical RB3.

• DQ Smith — S, South Carolina — SB) → R6 (JAX) Versatile overhang/big-nickel type; good tackler.

• Austin Brown (S, Wisconsin — SB) — (if still there) → R6 (JAX)

Round 7 (from CLE; ≈198–222 range) — cost-controlled specialists/flyers

• Mark Gronowski — QB, Iowa (SHR): poised, mobile QB3; boots/keepers fit.

• Haynes King — QB, Georgia Tech (SHR): traits QB3 with package utility.

• Shad Banks — LB, UTSA (SHR): core-teams hammer + sub-LB snaps.

• Eric Rivers — WR/KR, Georgia Tech (SHR): WR6/KR competition.

• Trey Smack — K, Florida (SHR): big-leg challenger if DET opens K battle.

How the board reflects draft position

• We clustered highest-impact EDGE/CB/IDL at R2≈50, where value meets need if R1 is a trade-down or BPA.

• R4 (two swings) is ideal for IOL + developmental EDGE/CB, matching Detroit’s cross-training ethos and depth layering.

• R5–R6 emphasizes special-teams and sub-package roles (returner, big-nickel, RB3, center depth) that make the 48-man card.

• R7 is for specialists and QB3 economics, keeping cap flexibility intact.