One of the sports world’s busiest draft experts just mocked a very intriguing prospect to the Detroit Lions with just one week left until the 2026 NFL draft.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler released a mammoth seven-round mock draft Wednesday morning, in which he mocked Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling to Detroit at No. 17 overall.
Brugler wrote:
"Though he’s inexperienced in areas, Freeling is an ascending player with above-average size and athletic traits. The Lions have short-term options opposite Penei Sewell, but Freeling has the talent to earn his way onto the field at some point during his rookie season."
Brugler has Freeling ranked as his No. 3 offensive tackle prospect and No. 17 player in this year's draft.
Offensive tackle has been a popular position to pencil in for the Lions on day one throughout this draft cycle after longtime stalwart left tackle Taylor Decker was granted a release this offseason.
The Lions’ poor offensive line play largely derailed the team’s season last year. The running game never hit the dominant level of efficiency it enjoyed from 2023 to 2024, and quarterback Jared Goff was sacked the most times of any season in his career.
Detroit needs to give its offensive line a refresh, and has added a new starting center in Cade Mays and a fringe starter in tackle Larry Borom.
Lions should take serious look at Freeling for top pick
Freeling has been one of the draft pool’s most ascending prospects, largely stemming from his otherworldly combine performance. He posted a freakish relative athletic score (RAS) of 9.99 out of 10, a composite of his measurements and drills at the NFL combine.
Freeling stands at 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds. Throughout 2025, he flashed elite climbing ability, balance and bend. His long arms and strong hands help him engage blockers with an assertive umph.
The Lions already have one exceptionally gifted athlete at tackle in Penei Sewell. Why not make it two?
Well, the reason Freeling, despite that RAS, is not considered an absolute lock for the top 10 (though he could very well go there) is his relative lack of starting experience. His 2025 season was his only year as a full-time starter in college, and he made just 17 starts across his career.
That lack of experience showed up sometimes in iffy footwork and inconsistent form in pass protection.
For a team like Detroit in desperate need of plug-and-play, starter-quality stuff from its offensive line, the risk in a prospect like Freeling is apparent. He might need time to develop and bank more reps, which requires a level of patience a team like Detroit may not have, even if Borom is there.
Plus, some of the Lions’ other more “developmental” picks (think Isaac TeSlaa, Brodric Martin and Giovanni Manu) have tended to not pan out, with only TeSlaa looking like he could be a good NFL player some day. Although, to be fair, those were third and fourth rounders and we’re talking about a first round prospect here.
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If the Lions’ goal is to return to the playoffs–and Super Bowl contention—in 2026, one would have to think their goal is to add a player who can make an immediate impact with their first round pick.
But maybe general manager Brad Holmes is thinking more long-term, or maybe he thinks Freeling is indeed ready to be an NFL starter out of the gate. Plus, it’s hard to ignore the Lions drafted three Georgia players last year in Tate Ratledge, Dominic Lovett and Dan Jackson, and Ratledge once played alongside Freeling up front for the Bulldogs.
“I think anytime you can acquire an offensive tackle that’s a good player– I always think you look at it like an offensive tackle or what you call that ‘premium position’ category, I don’t think you can really have enough of them,” Holmes said during his pre-draft press conference Monday. “Those guys are hard to find, but you’ve got to make sure that you get the right one.”
“But I think there are some good ones. We’ll just kind of see how it falls.”
Indeed we will. This is the most fascinating offseason of Holmes’ tenure yet, and there’s no telling what direction the Lions go in round one. But if he’s available, an athletic freak at a position of need from a school Detroit clearly likes might not be a bad guess.
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