loading . . . Around the NFC North: 2026 NFL Draft Edition Draft weekend is always one of the most exciting weekends of the year, and the 2026 NFL Draft was no different. Packer fans had one of the more mellow drafts in recent memory, in part due to not having a first-round pick. It was actually the first time the Packers entered a draft without a first-round pick since 1986. General manager Brian Gutekunst made just six picks in total, the smallest draft class of his tenure and the smallest since Green Bay drafted six players back in 2004. He did some moving around, trading up in the third round to select defensive tackle Chris McClellan and trading up from the seventh round into the back end of the sixth to select Florida kicker Trey Smack — the first kicker taken in this draft.
Part of the excitement for Packer fans was keeping an eye on what the other teams in the division were doing. The Bears didn't land a pass rusher, but they stuck to their board and came away with a top-tier safety and the best center in the draft. The Lions focused on the trenches, adding a plug-and-play tackle and a high-floor pass rusher. The Vikings loaded up on their defensive line, prioritizing run-stopping reinforcements. It's hard to watch division rivals get better, but that's just how it goes. Take draft grades with a grain of salt, but it's interesting to see the different perceptions of each team's draft. We all know what Green Bay did to improve its roster, but below is a team-by-team breakdown of what Green Bay's NFC North rivals did this weekend.
NFC North Draft Grades
CBS
ESPN
NFL
PFF
USA
Chicago Bears
B-
B
A-
B
C
Detroit Lions
B
B
A-
B-
B
Green Bay Packers
B+
C+
B+
B
A-
Minnesota Vikings
B-
C
B
C
C-
Chicago Bears
Round 1, No. 25: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
Round 2, No. 57: Logan Jones, C, Iowa
Round 3, No. 69: Sam Roush, TE, Stanford
Round 3, No. 89: Zavion Thomas, WR, LSU
Round 4, No. 124: Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas
Round 5, No. 166: Keyshaun Elliott, LB, Arizona State
Round 6, No. 213: Jordan van den Berg, DT, Georgia Tech
Top 3 Needs: Edge, DB, DL
The Chicago Bears kicked off their draft by landing a high-quality player at a critical position of need. Safety had become a glaring hole after losing Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Jonathan Owens in free agency, but the Bears filled it early on by selecting Oregon's Dillon Thieneman with the 25th overall pick in the first round. He'll slot in immediately as a starter opposite newly signed Coby Bryant. Thieneman is a dynamic playmaker who can line up at either safety spot, and his versatility should allow Dennis Allen to deploy him as a deep safety, in the box, or in the slot, depending on the matchup.
On Friday night, the Bears turned their attention to the offensive side of the ball. Their first pick of the evening was Iowa center Logan Jones at No. 57 overall. Jones was widely considered the top center in the draft, and he figures to be the long-term answer at the position following the sudden retirement of Drew Dalman. The expectation is for Jones to develop behind veteran Garrett Bradbury in 2026 before taking over the starting job in 2027.
In the third round, the Bears added two playmakers for Caleb Williams. Stanford tight end Sam Roush was selected at No. 69 overall. Roush profiles very similarly to current Bears’ tight end Cole Kmet — he’ll do some of the dirty work as a blocker in the run game, but he brings enough athleticism as a receiver to contribute in the passing game as well. Later on, the Bears drafted LSU wide receiver Zavion Thomas at No. 89 overall. Thomas is a smaller receiver, but he has elite speed. He projects primarily as a return specialist or a gadget player.
The Bears wrapped up their draft on Saturday by drafting three defensive players: Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad, Arizona State linebacker Keyshaun Elliott, and Georgia Tech defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg. All three players figure to be depth options without a clear path to immediate playing time for any of them, but Muhammad is the most intriguing of the group. He’s described by Dane Brugler as a corner who “can be out-physicaled at times, but he plays with good reaction quickness and route instincts, which help him stay attached in man or zone.” He could end up becoming one of the best values in this class.
Detroit Lions
Round 1, No. 17: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
Round 2, No. 44: Derrick Moore, EDGE, Michigan
Round 4, No. 118: Jimmy Rolder, LB, Michigan
Round 5, No. 157: Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona State
Round 5, No. 168: Kendrick Law, WR, Kentucky
Round 6, No. 205: Skyler Gill-Howard, DT, Texas Tech
Round 7, No. 222: Tyre West, EDGE, Tennessee
Top 3 Needs: OL, EDGE, DL
The Detroit Lions kicked off their draft by landing a solid player at their biggest position of need. After the Lions released Taylor Decker, there was a clear need to replace the left tackle who had held down the position for the last decade. The Lions addressed it by drafting Clemson's Blake Miller at No. 17 overall. Miller made 54 career starts at Clemson, 52 of those coming at right tackle, so the Lions' plan is clear: move Penei Sewell — who has spent most of his career on the right side — over to left tackle, and let Miller step in on the right. Miller started 54 consecutive games at Clemson and only missed one practice in his entire college career, so he’s a tough, durable kid. His projection is a Taylor Decker-type player. Fitting, considering he's stepping directly into Decker's shoes.
On Friday night, the Lions addressed their second biggest area of need by moving up to select Michigan's Derrick Moore at No. 44. Detroit traded up from No. 50 to make the move. The Lions needed a pass rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson, and they stayed in the state of Michigan to find one — Moore will now line up opposite another former Wolverine on the edge. Moore had a breakout 2025 season, recording 10 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss on his way to First-Team All-Big Ten honors and a team captaincy.
After a relatively quiet first two days, the Lions made five selections on Saturday, four of them on the defensive side of the ball. Linebacker Jimmy Rolder, another former Wolverine, should have a chance for early playing time alongside Jack Campbell after Detroit lost Alex Anzalone in free agency. Rolder is a solid tackler who plays aggressively and gets downhill quickly. Cornerback Keith Abney II should also push for early playing time as a rotational defensive back. Widely considered a top-100 pick by national analysts, Abney has inside-out versatility. What Abney II lacks in size and athleticism, he makes up for with good instincts and competitiveness.
Detroit's final three selections won't figure to contribute early, but they provide depth and competition. Kendrick Law is a compact slot receiver who brings 4.45-second 40-yard-dash speed and projects as a quality special-teams contributor. Gill-Howard posted an elite 88.6 PFF grade last season, but he’s undersized and lacks athleticism to be a regular contributor at defensive tackle. The Lions also added Tennessee defensive lineman Tyre West in the seventh round as a depth piece.
Minnesota Vikings
Round 1, No. 18: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida
Round 2, No. 51: Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati
Round 3, No. 82: Dominique Orange, DT, Iowa State
Round 3, No. 97: Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern
Round 3, No. 98: Jakobe Thomas, S, Miami
Round 5, No. 159: Max Bredeson, TE, Michigan
Round 5, No. 163: Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F. Austin
Round 6, No. 198: Demond Claiborne, RB, Wake Forest
Round 7, No. 235: Gavin Gerhardt, C, Cincinnati
Top 3 Needs: DL, OL, DB
The Minnesota Vikings had an active draft weekend, despite not having a permanent general manager. Rob Brzezinski served as the team's interim general manager, and the organization made nine picks in total. The first selection of the weekend was Florida’s Caleb Banks at No. 18 overall. Listed at 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds with the longest wingspan at the NFL Combine — a whopping 7 feet, 1.75 inches — Banks is a massive, disruptive presence on the defensive interior. The Vikings desperately needed reinforcements on their defensive front after parting ways with both Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen, and if healthy, Banks should provide exactly that. Health is the big caveat. Banks played just three games for Florida in 2025 due to a foot injury that required surgery, and re-injuring it at the combine only added to the concern. The Vikings will need quite a bit of luck for the selection to fully pay off, but if Banks can stay healthy and on the field, he could wreak havoc on opposite offensive lines.
Minnesota ended up making four selections on Friday night — three of them on the defensive side of the ball. The Vikings moved back two spots from No. 49 to No. 51 before selecting Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday. Golday is a tall, long linebacker with excellent size and speed. He demonstrated elite range last season, making plays sideline to sideline. His technique and recognition both improved last season, but they still need quite a bit of refinement. He should compete to start alongside Blake Cashman. At No. 82, the Vikings selected Iowa State nose tackle Domonique Orange. "Big Citrus" only recorded one sack over four seasons as a Cyclone, but he’s extremely difficult to move off his spot — almost immovable at times. Orange will immediately contribute on early downs to help improve Minnesota’s rush defense.
The Vikings added an extra third-round pick via the Jonathan Greenard trade with Philadelphia, giving them picks No. 97 and No. 98. The first of the back-to-back selections was Northwestern's Caleb Tiernan at No. 97. Tiernan is a smart, experienced swing tackle who should provide depth behind Christian Darrisaw and Brian O'Neill in 2026 before competing for a starting role down the road. The second pick was Miami safety Jakobe Thomas at No. 98, who had five interceptions for the Hurricanes last season. Thomas’ aggressive, physical style should fit right into defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ defense.
Minnesota's Saturday selections should all find ways to contribute. Tight end Max Bredeson from Michigan will serve more as a fullback, immediately replacing C.J. Ham. Cornerback Charles Demmings from Stephen F. Austin also came off the board in the fifth round. Demmings recorded 31 passes defended over his final 32 college starts. Running back Demond Claiborne from Wake Forest is an electric addition in the sixth round. He measured in at 5-foot-9¾ and 188 pounds with a 4.37 40-yard dash, and led Wake Forest in rushing in each of his final three seasons, also contributing as a pass catcher and kick returner. Finally, Gavin Gerhardt from Cincinnati was added in the seventh round as an interior offensive line depth option.
Filed Under: Packers NewsNFL DraftFeaturedGreen Bay PackersCarter Semb
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Carter Semb is a lifelong Packer fan, shareholder, and season ticket holder. He is a contributor for Cheesehead TV and Packers Talk. For commentary surrounding Wisconsin sports, he can be found on X at @cmsemb.
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NFL Categories: Chicago BearsDetroit LionsGreen Bay PackersMinnesota VikingsTags: Brian Gutekunst2026 NFL Draft
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