Our countdown of the Detroit Lions’ 2026 roster continues.
As a reminder, eight members of the Pleasure of Detroit employees ranked each participant of Detroit’s present 90-man roster from 1 to 90. We then created a consensus listing primarily based on the averages of those rankings, and we’re slowly rolling out the outcomes 10 at a time.
We’ve got arrived at gamers we ranked from 80 to 71. Whereas most of those gamers have long-shots to make the roster, it’s value noting that final yr’s listing included gamers like Jackson Meeks, Kyle Allen, and Tom Kennedy on this vary. Allen and Kennedy each spent important time on the 53-man roster, whereas Meeks might nonetheless have a future in Detroit.
80. RB Kye Robichaux (Highest: 74; Lowest: 82)
Final yr’s rating: 88
Final yr, Robichaux by no means actually bought a shot as an undrafted rookie. He suffered an damage early in coaching camp and spent the complete season on injured reserve. The previous Boston School again has good dimension (6-foot, 213 kilos) and a bodily working fashion. Will probably be attention-grabbing to see if he could make an impression this yr, significantly when the pads come on.
79. iOL Mason Miller (Highest 73; Lowest: 82)
Final yr’s rating: 87
Miller was additionally a UDFA from 2025, however not a lot was ever written or stated about him. He didn’t make the group, spent the complete season on the apply squad, and signed a futures deal again in Detroit for 2026. Miller comes from North Dakota State, giving former Lions tight ends coach Tyler Roehl an perception into him.
“Soccer IQ, the way in which he performs the sport,” Roehl stated about Miller in 2025. “At North Dakota State there’s going to be a stage of physicality that’s desired, and I simply gave my opinion. He got here out and did precisely what I believed he would.”
78. OT Devin Cochran (Highest: 72; Lowest, 85)
Final yr’s rating: N/A
Cochran was added after coaching camp final yr and spent the whole thing of the season on the apply squad. It says one thing that he’s stayed on the roster all yr and Detroit opted to provide him a futures deal. However he’ll must beat out Giovanni Manu to even be OT4 on this group—which isn’t a spot assured to land on the 53-man roster.
77. LB Erick Hunter (Highest: 65; Lowest: 88)
Final yr’s rating: N/A
There are actually some excessive on Hunter, who obtained the largest signing bonus ($25,000) of any Lions UDFAs this season. And with a comparatively shallow room, there’s a route for Hunter to do it. He had a improbable yr at Morgan State, however he faces a reasonably large bounce in competitors within the NFL. Nonetheless, his athletic traits and excessive motor make him a tough man to guess in opposition to.
76. LB Joe Bachie (Highest: 55; Lowest: 83)
Final yr’s rating: N/A
Bachie is among the most skilled gamers this far down on the listing. He’s 28, he’s appeared in 66 video games, and the Lions are his sixth NFL group. He even began 5 video games final yr for the Colts earlier than he was waived with an damage settlement and joined the Titans.
Bachie has an actual likelihood on the 53-man roster as a result of his in depth particular groups expertise (1,128 snaps) and veteran presence.
75. TE Zach Horton (Highest 69; Lowest: 78)
Final yr’s rating: 82
Horton caught round on the apply squad after being signed as a UDFA final yr. Horton confirmed off some versatility in coaching camp by taking some fullback snaps, and he even bought some enjoying time when accidents hit Detroit’s tight finish room late within the yr. That’s why he will get a slight bounce, however the competitors for the TE3 and/or TE4 spot can be robust to crack for Horton.
74. DT Aidan Keanaaina (Highest: 67; Lowest: 86)
Final yr’s rankings: N/A
Many have recognized Keanaaina because the rookie UDFA most certainly to land a spot on the Lions’ 53-man roster. Detroit wants nostril deal with depth to assist accommodate from the losses of Roy Lopez and DJ Reader. He confronted first rate competitors at Cal over the past two years, so if he can shine when the pads on, he might beat the chances.
73. WR Malik Cunningham (highest: 62; Lowest: 79)
Final yr’s rankings: N/A
When the Lions signed Malik Cunningham forward of the Ravens sport, the final perception was that he was going for use as a Lamar Jackson clone in apply, and that’s about it. Nonetheless, Cunningham lasted on the group for the complete season and even bought a call-up for a sport by which he caught a move for a single yard.
He appears destined for an additional yr on the apply squad, but when he can shine on particular groups, the WR5 and/or WR6 positions are open.
72. iOL Michael Niese (Highest: 59; Lowest: 77)
Final yr’s rankings: 59
Over the past three years, Niese has appeared in 26 video games for the Lions, however he has but to begin his first NFL sport. Just lately, the Lions have spent plenty of assets upgrading their inside offensive line—drafting Christian Mahogany and Miles Frazier; signing Cade Mays, Ben Bartch, and Seth McLaughlin. That leaves Niese’s path to the roster more durable than ever, which probably speaks to his important drop on this yr’s rankings.
71. TE Miles Kitselman (Highest: 61; Lowest: 83)
Final yr’s rankings: N/A
Kitselman is one other well-liked decide to be the 2026 UDFA to make the Lions’ 53-man roster. He was largely believed to be a draftable expertise following a profession at each Alabama and Tennessee. Whereas his stats are underwhelming (26 catches 253 yards in 2025), he’s bought the dimensions and expertise to be a powerful inline blocking tight finish.
