Persevering with our 2026 NFL Mix media session recap collection, we transfer to the defensive position class. The Detroit Lions may very a lot be within the combine for a defensive finish, and this 12 months’s class is stuffed with bodily, sturdy gamers that match Detroit’s model of play. The next are 4 high-character gamers I spoke with throughout Wednesday’s media classes.
Word: Miami EDGE Akheem Mesidor was a goal to speak to, however was a no-show throughout his allotted timeslot. He did finally go (practically an hour later) and mentioned he formally met with the Lions, however I used to be not current for that media.
Measurement: 6-foot-3, 260 poundsQuick bio: A four-year participant at Illinois, Jacas noticed his productiveness develop yearly. A powerful, bodily edge participant, he tallied 27 whole sacks over 4 years, 11 of which got here in his closing 12 months. Has a wrestling background, which is obvious in his understanding of leverage and hand utilization. Regardless of being identified for his bruising enjoying model, he has extra athleticism than meets the attention, and will check nice this week.Present draft projection: Spherical 2Combine vibes:
I got here into the Mix with Jacas as considered one of my favourite early targets for the Lions at fiftieth total, and I left just a little disenchanted from his media session. Don’t get me fallacious, he didn’t say something regarding, however I hoped his persona would shine by way of just a little extra.
I’ll say, he did say a number of issues that made me imagine he’d be slot in Detroit, although. Right here’s how he descirbed himself.
“They’re going to get a bodily participant, a disciplined participant, somebody that doesn’t take a play off,” Jacas mentioned. “Somebody that’s only a pure chief. Somebody that’s going to assault each play, and somebody you’ll be able to rely on.”
When it comes to his play model, too, it’s an ideal slot in Detroit. Jacas raved about his speed-to-power go rush transfer and talked about his motor.
In different phrases, the content material of his media session confirmed to me he would match the Lions properly, however the press convention was definitely lacking some sizzle.
Florida EDGE George Gumbs Jr.
Measurement: 6-foot-4, 250 poundsQuick bio: Gumbs took an enchanting path to the NFL Draft, beginning as a Northern Illinois WIDE RECEIVER earlier than shifting to tight finish, then defensive finish, earlier than transferring to Florida. Understandably, he’s just a little tough across the edges as a go rusher, however the physicality of being a good finish has translated properly to run protection. Just one full 12 months as a starter at Florida.Present draft projection: Day 3Combine vibes:
Whereas I hoped for extra persona from Gumbs, his story is exclusive sufficient to catch your consideration. There aren’t many large recevier-turned-edge defender tales on the market, not to mention one that features a switch to an SEC program. I requested Gumbs what the largest problem was shifting from a talent place participant to a defensive participant, and he famous that overlap between tight finish and defensive finish that he believes really made the transfer comparatively straightforward.
“I’m going towards comparable physique varieties,” Gumbs mentioned. “Enjoying tight finish, I do know schemes, I do know the appears. Tight ends, we’ve quite a bit we have to perceive and what we’re towards. So I really feel like tight finish actually helped me play tight finish.”
My favourite a part of the press convention was when Gumbs was requested if his walk-on mentality at Florida had ever gone away.
“No, it actually don’t. It actually don’t,” Gumbs mentioned. “As a result of once I give it some thought, I by no means had a hand-out for me. I by no means went to a spot the place I’m on the high of the depth chart. After I went to Florida, I used to be on the second subject, so I needed to work my means up.”
Word: Gumbs additionally mentioned he had a casual assembly with the Lions.
Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk
Measurement: 6-foot-6, 285 poundsQuick bio: Two-year starter at Auburn, Faulk performed up and down the defensive position. Was a captain in 2025, however noticed his manufacturing important dip in sacks (7.0 in 2024, simply 2.0 in 2025). However he performs with violence, which might be slot in Detroit. Faulk can be nonetheless simply 20 years outdated, making him one of many youngest gamers on this 12 months’s draft class.Present draft projection: Spherical 1-2Combine vibes:
The very first thing that caught out from Faulk’s media session was when he parroted a line we’ve heard for years underneath each Aaron Glenn and Kelvin Sheppard
“That’s what we pleasure ourselves at Auburn. Since my freshman 12 months, we all the time say we’ve to earn the best to hurry the passer,” Faulk mentioned. “That proper got here first and second down. We actually needed to pleasure ourselves in stopping the run, staying low, getting our arms proper, and exploding out of our hips, and we do exactly that.”
I additionally appreciated Faulk’s honesty when it got here to his lack of go rush productiveness in his closing season in Auburn.
“I’m nonetheless engaged on it,” Faulk mentioned. “Quite a lot of my manufacturing got here from the 5-tech. I nonetheless had just a little little bit of manufacturing down on the 3-tech and 2i, however most of my manufacturing got here from the 5-tech. At any time when I step on the sector, it’s extra of me attempting to get higher. It’s not me attempting to be the identical. I by no means need to be the identical participant yearly, and I need to proceed to attempt to get higher and proceed to enhance my recreation so I can enhance the well-being of the workforce.”
Georgia DT Christen Miller
Measurement: 6-foot-4, 310 poundsQuick bio: A nostril sort out and two-year starter at Georgia, Miller is a run-stopping machine. The manufacturing numbers have been comparatively low—20 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks in 2025—however he elevates gamers round him by occupying double groups.Present draft projection: Spherical 2-3Combine vibes:
I do know nostril sort out will not be excessive on the Lions’ record of wants, however Miller was the perfect media session I went to on Wednesday. Again in March 2023, Miller was caught going 95 miles per hour, however Miller talked overtly and actually about how that modified the trajectory of his profession and served as a wake-up second.
“When errors like that occur, when issues like that occur, it sort of teaches you you’ve bought to develop up quick,” Miller mentioned. “I needed to perceive that call that I made once I was dashing, it not solely affected me, however it affected my teammates, my household. So I needed to perceive that I’ve to be extra intentional once I’m driving.”
Miller paid his dues—actually. He was fined, he got here in early to the ability, he did neighborhood service all to get again within the good graces of the workforce and the regulation, and it labored. He put his head down, waited his flip, and have become a powerful participant.
You possibly can watch lots of his presser right here:
