ALLEN PARK, Mich. – As NFL draft season approaches, 32 teams are vying for the chance to secure future superstars to elevate their franchises.
Like those franchises, Detroit Lions General Manager Brad Holmes is preparing for the upcoming draft, aiming for the ultimate prize: a Super Bowl victory.
Holmes held a pre-draft press conference on April 17 in Allen Park, expressing gratitude to the Lions organization.
“I just want to give a shout-out and appreciation to everybody in our personnel department, all of our coaches, all of our operations staff. They’ve done a ton of work. A lot of work has gone into this up to this point. Still, there’s a little bit of work to do. Still, some I’s to dot and some T’s to cross, but we’re out there,” Holmes said.
The Lions are coming off their best record in franchise history at 15-2. They ended the regular season with the best record in the NFC North and clinched the No. 1 seed in the conference.
However, their playoff run ended abruptly with an upset loss to the Washington Commanders in the Divisional Round, prompting a focus on the 2025 draft.
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Holmes has a reputation for making strategic moves in the draft, including trading up from pick No. 32 to No. 12 to select wide receiver Jameson Williams and moving up four spots to select Terrion Arnold. He has also traded the 92nd pick to acquire Carlton Davis.
“It’s really case by case, year to year,” Holmes said. “When we did the big one with Jameson, that was the right guy. That was a little more pre-planned because it was such a massive jump; it took a lot more conversation and planning. It just depends on who might be in striking range.”
Holmes joined the Lions organization on Jan. 14, 2021, as the executive vice president and general manager.
Over the last four years, he said he has learned a lot, including being patient and letting the draft come to him instead of reaching for players
Holmes emphasized that his draft strategy is influenced by the overall talent level and the specific draft pick they hold.
He does not enter the draft with a predetermined plan to trade up or down.
“Over the last four years, I’ve learned a lot, including being patient and letting the draft come to me instead of reaching for players,” Holmes said. “I think the first couple of years, there was probably a little more urgency because of where we were at as a roster. Now, we have a lot of really good football players, but I still want to get better football players.”
Holmes takes pride in the collaborative effort within the Lions organization, noting that identifying talent is a team effort.
“It takes everybody. We can identify the talent, but we have great coaches who can accelerate development and get the most out of these players,” Holmes said. “I take more pride in having the right people in our building because it is a process that involves a lot of work and detail.”
Regarding trading down, Holmes considers compensation and whether it makes sense for the team.
He aims to secure quality players who can help the Lions win a Super Bowl, a goal that has eluded the franchise for 60 years.
“I’d rather have a surplus of good football players that we really, really like. That might create great problems to have, but I’d rather have those great problems instead of not having a great problem to have,” Holmes said.
Holmes’ resume is top-notch, as he has drafted six NFL Pro Bowl players, but he says it’s not just him who has a keen eye for identifying talented players, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
The Lions’ offense was impressive last season, ranking second in the NFL in scoring with an average of 33.1 points per game.
However, their defense struggled due to injuries, particularly among pass rushers like Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill.
Holmes is optimistic about the 2025 draft class, particularly regarding pass rushers.
“There are some good players at that position. I won’t get into specifics, but there might be good opportunities to trade back,” Holmes said.
He also mentioned the depth of talent at the wide receiver position, emphasizing the importance of adding youth to the roster.
“Receiver is probably one of the more volume positions in each draft. It’s probably more of those guys, even like veteran free agents that are available after the draft,” Holmes said.
Holmes is committed to avoiding the temptation to reach for players simply to fill a position.
“We’re not going to reach on players just to fill a position. I want fans to sit back, get their popcorn ready, and enjoy the draft,” Holmes said. “It’s like going to see a movie; you don’t know much about it, and that’s the excitement.”
Check out Holmes’ moves during round one of the NFL draft, which will kick off Thursday, April 24, at 8 p.m. in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
