How did the Lions’ 2026 draft picks score on the Grit Index?

The Detroit Lions acquired seven new players in the 2026 NFL Draft, adding a new influx of young, gritty players to the roster. Some players will immediately challenge for starting roles, while others will compete for situational/reserve roles or roster spots in general, but each of them fits the Lions organization in their own way.

This offseason, we implemented the fourth iteration of the Grit Index, with the hope of contextualizing what they are looking for when they say they want players with “Grit.” To do this, we aggregate data from respected NFL Draft analysts, looking for key terms and context, while also acknowledging that the system is based on imperfect and incomplete information, and overall, just a piece of the draft evaluation process.

Grit index’s “elite” players

This year, we made some modifications to the Grit Index, aiming to further hone our system to meet the expectations of Lions general manager Brad Holmes. In this year’s update, we ended up with 30 players who finished with an “elite” score (9.0+), roughly 7% of this year’s top 400+ players, and six “upper elite” (9.5+) players, roughly 1% of this year’s class.

Of those in the elite tier, 28 were drafted, including six in the first round, 10 on Day 2 of the draft, 12 on Day 3, and two went undrafted. Of the “upper elite,” four of the six were drafted in the first round, with the remaining two off the board by pick No. 43 overall, at the top of the second round.

While there are nearly enough elite Grit players for every NFL team to secure one, only 17 teams seized the opportunity, with the Lions and Bears (Hey, Ben Johnson!) securing 25% of the elite Grit players who were drafted.

4 elite Grit players: Bears
3 elite Grit players: Lions
2 elite Grit players: Colts, Dolphins (2+UDFA), Raiders, Ravens, Steelers, and Texans
1 elite Grit player: Broncos (UDFA), Chargers, Chiefs, Cowboys, Eagles, Jaguars, Jets, Panthers, and Patriots
None: 15 did not draft an elite Grit player (including Vikings and Packers)

Let’s take a look at how the Lions’ seven draft picks scored in the 2026 Grit Index, discuss their ranking, and explore if there was anything the current system missed.

The Lions’ Grit Index scores for their 2026 draft class

Blake Miller, RT, Clemson: 9.67 (6th overall)

With Miller one of the six players landing in the “upper elite,” plus the Lions’ need at right tackle, the dots connected in a way that made him the logical choice at pick No. 17 in the first round. In fact, he was such a good fit that he was the primary focus of our first article, which delved deeper into certain positions.

In that piece, we discussed the traits that secured Miller the top Grit Index score amongst offensive tackles:

Leadership: He was a team captain at Clemson.
Intelligence: Film junkie translates to on-field production.
Perseverance: Despite growing up in Ohio, his dad being an Ohio State graduate, and receiving an offer from the Buckeyes (who were just in the College Football National Championship), he opted to forge his own path at Clemson.
Dependability/Work Ethic: Doesn’t cheat his teammates or himself with his commitment to the team.
Durability: 54 straight starts over four seasons (Clemson record).
Toughness: Broke wrist in spring workouts, missed just one practice (for the surgery), and was back on the field the next day.
Preparation: That practice was the only one he missed during his career at Clemson.
Intangibles: Began weight lifting at age eight, then wrestling in high school (State Champion).
Awards: Freshman All-American, Three-time All-ACC.
Football character: Quote from NFL Scout (via Dane Brugler’s The Beast), “I think he missed one practice in four years. The thought of letting down his coaches and teammates kills him.”

What we missed:

Honestly, not much. There was a ton of focus on this year’s offensive tackle class, and we did our best to explore them in detail over several months of research.

Derrick Moore, EDGE, Michigan: 6.68

Moore is a great example of how the Grit Index is only part of a player’s overall profile, and exposes some of the limitations of our current design. From a schematic standpoint, Moore is a terrific fit for the Lions, but from a Grit standpoint, and with a need to upgrade the edge rusher position, the pick makes a ton of sense.

However, Moore’s score was only average, even though he showed well in diversifying where he earned positive marks on the index:

Leadership: Captain at Michigan, was called a “quiet” leader
Selflessness: Called an “unselfish player,” willing to do dirty work and let others find success
Toughness: Physical edge setter
Competitiveness: Relentless motor
Instincts: Great feel for the game, both vs. pass and run
Intelligence: Above-average IQ and awareness of play-design
Self-efficacy: “I like that he knows what he does well as a rusher and capitalizes on it.” – AFC national scout via NFL.com profile

What we missed:

There were a few things working against us in properly projecting Moore’s grit.

First, a couple of profiles on Moore were published after we finalized our index. For example, Todd McShay published his profile on Moore in the final week before the draft and included notes on his versatility, instincts, and awareness. While NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah did not have a profile on Moore, this also limited our data. We also reexamined our sources to see whether we were overly critical in some areas, which we may have been. Those corrections alone would likely have elevated his score to close to 8.0 (putting him in the top 100 in the class), but we didn’t want to compromise the process.

Additionally, it’s important to note that our system depends on information being passed along from schools to scouts to media, etc. And with the chaotic circumstances the Michigan coaches and program were sorting through this past offseason, it’s likely there was a disconnect in the information chain about prospects. For example, of the eight Michigan prospects to earn a Grit score in this class, only one (Fullback Max Bredeson) finished in the top 130, with the rest of the Wolverines finishing lower than expected—for reference, in 2025, Michigan had four players in that range.

While there’s not much we can do about the lack of information or the timing of its release, this situation has given us something to contemplate for future evolutions of our index.

Jimmy Rolder, LB, Michigan: 6.97

Entering Day 3 of the draft, the Lions tend to prioritize players with upside and/or those with unique or specialized traits. Rolder is an example of the former, as he appears to be an ascending prospect who was limited by his experience during the evaluation process.

Rolder, like Moore, was likely limited by the information coming out of Ann Arbor, but still scored well in several areas, with high marks surrounding his instincts:

Versatility: contributes at multiple off-ball linebacker spots and is very experienced on special teams
Instincts: Ascending instincts beyond those of a first-year starter, “GPS” to the football, a natural feel for the timing of the game, sifts through the wash with efficiency
Intelligence: 3-time All-Academic Big-Ten honoree
Leadership: “Glowing character feedback from Michigan staff (NFL scout: ‘No ‘selfish’ to him. .. (He’s a) coach-pleaser and does what is asked.’).” — via Dane Brugler’s The Beast

What we missed:

The two main areas where Rolder’s grit profile was hindered were the situation at Michigan (discussed above) and his limited experience, leading to less data. In all likelihood, with his level of experience, this final score is probably accurate based on the information available.

Keith Abney, CB, Arizona State: 9.07 (26th overall)

From a talent perspective, Abney was considered a steal for the Lions. Not only does his college game film point to a top-100 player, but his Grit Index score puts him in the “elite” category. Abney has a quality array of grit attributes, scoring multiple times in multiple areas, most notably competitiveness and instincts:

“Do-everything” athlete: National Champion/record holder as an inline speed skater
Competitive: Plays bigger than size, initiates contact, “competitive temperament,” “competitive fire,” and takes pride as an elite run defender, feisty, fights through the catch point
Physical: “No free rides.”
Instincts: Great feel for play design, route anticipation, elite read-and-react twitch, impressive “instincts and anticipation.”
Intelligence: Above-average IQ
Versatility: Ability to stay on the outside or kick in to the slot
Leadership: Culture setter, especially for new coaching staff: “He’s trusted and well-respected in (Arizona State’s) building. Very competitive and very smart.” – AFC regional scout, via NFL.com profile

What we missed:

Not much. Abney has a unique story, and his on-field mentality perfectly matches what the Lions seek.

Kendrick Law, Slot WR, Kentucky: 4.84

Law is a dynamic offensive weapon who is also expected to continue to contribute on special teams in a variety of ways. As a Day 3 offensive skill player, information is limited and mainly focused on his on-field skills, but he did earn grit points in the following areas:

Physical: Big-time blocker
Toughness: Possesses an edge in blocking situations, not scared to go over the middle, YAC
Versatility: Extensive special teams background

What we missed:

Upon reexamining our sources, we didn’t have much to correct, but upon further research, Law should have received more acknowledgment for his leadership. What we didn’t know at the time was that Kentucky doesn’t have permanent captains; instead, it rotates them each game. As a result, we missed the multiple times that Law was named a captain for specific games. That wouldn’t have had a large impact on his overall score, but it would have elevated it.

Skyler Gill-Howard, DL, Texas Tech: 9.42 (8th overall)

Gill-Howard is a great example of the Lions betting on a player’s character on Day 3. Not only does he bring an interior pass-rushing element to the roster—something the Lions need—but he also is an impressive person both on and off the field:

Work Ethic: Held down a job at FedEx for three years while attending school and playing football
Perseverance: Bet on himself twice via the transfer portal, lacked scholarship for 3 seasons
Passion: “Effort isn’t a concern.”
Competitiveness: Non-stop motor, sense of urgency
Intelligence: Wealth of pass rush moves, understands how to string them together
Leadership: Team and Game Captain, his leadership capabilities will stand out for NFL coaches, “Accountable and carries himself like a captain (NFL scout: ‘They’re gonna miss his ‘big brother’ energy in that building.‘).” — via Dane Brugler’s The Beast

What we missed:

Feel good about this score.

Tyre West, DL, Tennessee: 2.57

West is a unique prospect in that he wasn’t a starter on Tennessee’s defense and wasn’t invited to the Combine, making information from trusted sources scarce:

Versatility: A bit of a tweener who plays on the edge and can kick inside
Competitiveness: Non-stop motor

What we missed:

As we dive deeper into our research, we have uncovered more data on West’s versatility, competitiveness, energy, emotion, and passion. The issue here was that this information was not coming from our primary sources, making the data points a bit less reliable. Unfortunately, this is a dilemma that impacts most prospects that land further down the rankings, and there is no clean solution. We don’t want to compromise the integrity of our standards, but with limited information, it’s also a hurdle most late-round prospects will struggle to overcome.

Summary

In 2025, the Lions drafted four players in the top 41 of our Grit index, and this year, they landed three players in the top 26. While the system is still being tweaked, modified, and upgraded, the core principles are solid. Half of the 14 players drafted in the last two draft classes were considered at or near “elite,” and the Lions landed an “upper elite” top-6 Grit Index player in both classes: Miller (6th) in 2026, and Tate Ratledge (3rd) in 2025.

Overall, most of the methods will remain intact, as we believe the Grit Index accurately reflects what the Lions value.

That being said, we do plan to make some minor tweaks in the future to help offset some of the things we missed this year. First, we are adding a few new concepts to track, such as the word “finisher,” which was a popular phrase amongst this Lions group. Next, we will begin our research earlier in the year to gather more data on some of the deeper prospects. Lastly, we are planning to add some “position-specific” traits to properly boost the scores of players with limited profiles; i.e., wide receivers who excel at blocking (like Law) will get recognition.

One final note. I am often asked about “negative scoring” on players who have had on-field suspensions or off-the-field arrests. At this time, we do not apply any penalties to a player’s score, as we often don’t see the full picture surrounding the events. This is something we are contemplating adding, but have not rendered a final decision on.

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