Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, which means it’s time for every draft analyst to firmly declare who “won” and “lost” the draft and hand out grades for each pick.
Our own Ryan Mathews provided his detailed analysis and opinion of the Detroit Lions’ selection of Blake Miller here, but for this post, let’s scan the landscape and see what other experts are saying.
The Lions were largely praised for addressing what many believed to be their biggest need. However, there was certainly some disagreement about the player they picked. In Wide Left’s consensus big board, Miller ranked 31st, making this a mild reach at the 17th overall pick. And with Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling on the board, it’s clear some experts believe he should’ve been the pick.
However, as many experts below noted, Miller fits particularly well with the Lions’ culture, scheme, and his perceived lack of positional versatility is not a problem with a chess piece like Penei Sewell already in house.
But enough of my yapping. Here’s a look at the grades the Lions got both nationally and locally, listed in order from highest grade to lowest.
The departure of longtime starting OT Taylor Decker made it imperative for the Lions to find another offensive tackle early in the draft. Miller’s combination of experience and physicality must have endeared him to the decision-makers in Detroit, considering they passed on Georgia OT Monroe Freeling, who went two picks later. We’ll see which player has a better NFL career, but I think the Lions made the right call.
Checking in at 6′ 6″ and 317 pounds, Miller has the ideal size and strength for a starting right tackle. Having started 54 games for the Tigers (all but one at right tackle), Miller is an experienced prospect who only turned 22 in February. While there are some technique issues to clean up as a pass protector, Miller should be a starter for years to come.
How he fits with the Lions: Miller is a polished starter who should step in immediately and start for a Lions team attempting to replace longtime tackle Taylor Decker. With Penei Sewell potentially moving to the left side, Miller should stay in his natural position and give the Lions a strong front in 2026.
When left tackle Taylor Decker retired, the Lions’ No. 1 need became obvious. Miller made 54 career starts and comes out of central casting for the type of mauler and team-first guy that head coach Dan Campbell covets.
The Athletic (Nick Baumgardner, Scott Dochterman): B+
Detroit needed an offensive tackle to replace stalwart Taylor Decker, and Miller (6-6 3/4, 317) looks like a strong successor. He started 54 games along the offensive line for Clemson, 52 of those starts coming at right tackle. This selection seems to confirm Detroit will move Penei Sewell to left tackle (and start Miller on the right side).
Miller, a two-time first-team All-ACC selection, does have left tackle dimensions (34 1/4-inch arms, 83 7/8 wingspan), but it would be a tough flip as a rookie. I’m intrigued by why the Lions picked Miller over Caleb Lomu and Monroe Freeling, because they’re all considered in the same pool of OT candidates.
It was obvious that the Lions would be prioritizing an offensive tackle early in this draft, and Miller’s durability makes him a perfect fit for Dan Campbell. I like this pick a lot.
This is what the Lions needed to do: grab an offensive tackle with big upside who can start across from Penei Sewell immediately. This was an imperative for the Lions to upgrade given that this has been the strength of their offense over the past few years when they have been at their best. High-floor, high-upside pick for Detroit at a position of need.
The Lions’ need and desire to address the void at offensive tackle after Taylor Decker’s release was obvious. Less clear, however, was just whom Brad Holmes would zero in on. Perhaps more people should have seen this one coming, though. Miller is experienced, astute and athletic with an optimal frame for handling NFL edge rushers. With the bulk of his experience coming at right tackle, however, this signals that Penei Sewell should be making the switch to the left side.
This is a solid pick for the Lions, who did have a need at tackle. Blake Miller started a ton of games at Clemson, and brings a wealth of experience to the NFC North with him. He will need to improve his pad level, as he plays extremely high and on the two sacks he was credited with giving up this year — one against Louisville and another against SMU — you can see that pad level become an issue for him. If he tightens up his technique, the Lions will be glad they made this pick.
Note: PFF’s “grades” are elite, very good, good, average, and poor
Miller gets the nod as Penei Sewell’s new running mate after the departure of longtime Lions tackle Taylor Decker. Miller should start at right tackle, with Sewell kicking over to left tackle, and he certainly isn’t lacking experience there. He was a four-year starter at Clemson, logging nearly 4,000 offensive snaps across those seasons. He was remarkably consistent, too, earning 70.0-plus PFF grades in each year.
This is a very Lionsy pick. Miller is a tough and super-durable offensive lineman with tons of experience blocking on the right side, so from a grit point of view, he should fit like a glove in Detroit. I do worry about his ability to deal with speed on the outside, and his balance is inconsistent in both the run game and pass game. He’s my 43rd-ranked player, so this feels like a bit of a reach at this spot. But Miller makes a ton of sense for a team that is reportedly planning on moving Penei Sewell to left tackle.
We expected the Lions to target a tackle here, but Miller wasn’t the name most frequently connected with them. It’s hard to argue with the polish and experience he brings to the table with 54 collegiate starts to his credit, but he’s a pure right tackle, which signals a move to the left side for All-Pro Penei Sewell. There’s risk associated with that, but Miller is the kind of pro-ready prospect who makes a ton of sense for a playoff contender if they’re comfortable with Sewell’s ability to make that transition. That said, Miller had a second-round grade from me (No. 34 overall on my board), behind multiple tackles who were still on the board who carried first-round grades (Georgia’s Monroe Freeling, Utah’s Caleb Lomu).