So sad :Lions general manager Brad Holmes admits to tough challenges facing draft

Lions general manager Brad Holmes admits to tough challenges facing draft

Over the past three NFL drafts, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes has consistently unearthed multiple starters

each year. In 2021, his selections included Penei Sewell, Alim McNeill, Amon-Ra St. Brown, along with late-

bloomers Ifeatu Melifonwu and Derrick Barnes. Looking back, this was an impressive haul. The following year, he secured Aidan Hutchinson and Kerby

Joseph, both of whom became reliable starters, complemented by promising role players with high potential in Jameson Williams and Josh Paschal.

Holmes outdid himself in the most recent draft, landing four immediate starters: Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta, and Brian Branch.

Holmes has set a remarkably high standard for himself, but the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft presents the toughest challenge yet. Unlike previous years

where he had ample draft capital, Holmes now faces a scarcity of picks. Previously, he began with top-10 selections, but his first pick this year is

currently slated at 29th. Furthermore, the Lions only possess three picks in the top 150, compared to six last year and in 2021, and four in 2022. This scarcity

extends to the mid-tier picks, as there is a significant gap between their third-round pick (73rd overall) and their fifth-round pick (164).

This places immense pressure on Detroit’s initial selections in the NFL Draft. In a recent three-round mock draft conducted by Ryan Mathews and myself,

we discussed our choices and the challenges Holmes faces. While there are numerous viable options for Detroit’s

first pick at 29th overall, the 32-pick wait until their second-round pick (61 overall) leads to a notable decline in available talent. Despite having 11 legitimate

options with the 29th pick, all were off the board by the time their second-round pick came around.

For a detailed breakdown of our selection process, you can listen to the

full discussion on our podcast, available on various platforms including YouTube

and Twitch. Alternatively, if you’re simply interested in the picks themselves, they are outlined below.

You might find that draft class underwhelming (and we admit we

reached a bit to discuss some lesser-known players we’re fond of), but that’s intentional. This class probably won’t

match up to Holmes’ past successes, mainly due to the restricted draft resources and the quality of Detroit’s current roster.

We also conducted a separate three-round mock draft, but I won’t spoil it

here. If you’re interested, you can skip ahead to the 50-minute mark in the podcast to listen to those selections.

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