Countdown to Pittsburgh and a live mock tonight Two days before the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, the Detroit Lions Podcast zeroed in on pick 17 and the moving board around it. The top of the draft is unsettled. Nobody can lock in picks two through five. That uncertainty bleeds straight into Detroit’s lane. The crew set a live mock draft for tonight at 8:00 with Jeff Risdon, Chris, and Scott Bischoff running the room. It is a final stress test for scenarios the Lions could face when the NFL clock hits 17. Two SEC tackles lead the Lions’ options Mock drafts clustering around Detroit point to two clear front-runners: Monroe Fraley and Colon Proctor. Both are SEC offensive tackles. Both bring first-round traits with very different profiles. The conversation centered on balancing their pluses and minuses against Detroit’s current line and future contracts. If either is there at 17, the pick feels clean. If both are gone, the board gets messy. Predicting availability is the trick. With the top 10 fluid and several tackle-needy teams ahead of Detroit, the range for Fraley and Proctor stretches. The Lions are preparing for one to go early, one to drift, or a late surprise that knocks a different premium player into range. Injury variables that could shake the board Health flags dominated the swing-player talk. Jermad McCoy’s knee has drawn “degenerative” chatter. Production included only one strong season at Tennessee. That mix could push him into the second round. If he slips to 50, the value becomes a debate, but chronic soft-tissue and long-term knee concerns temper enthusiasm. Francis Malinois surfaced as the other big wild card. He has a back issue described as similar to what Sam LaPorta is managing. Not a herniated disc. Potentially addressable with a minor procedure and roughly three months of rehab. Teams are weighing whether surgery is even required. That uncertainty could nudge him out of the top 10 to 12. Clubs like Arizona, Cleveland, and Kansas City were cited as spots where medical risk tolerance could change plans. Kansas City in particular may be hesitant after drafting an injured tackle last year. Reading the final mocks Final boards from major analysts are landing now and shaping consensus on Detroit. Proctor shows up as one of the most frequent Lions pairings at 17. The podcast plans to comb through recent years of last-minute mocks on Thursday morning to see who historically pegged Detroit’s moves and where groupthink missed. With volatility up high, the Lions’ best edge at 17 is preparedness for medical-driven slides and a clear stack between the two SEC tackles leading their lane. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #2026nfldraft #monroefreeling #mockdrafts #fanpicks #kadynproctor #blakemiller #jermodmccoy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices