Brad Holmes Found Another Diamond in the Rough
It’s undrafted free agent season, and Brad Holmes is doing what he does best. Finding value where everyone else sees nothing. The Lions just signed USC edge rusher Anthony Lucas, a guy who probably should have been drafted but somehow wasn’t.
This isn’t your typical UDFA pickup. Most undrafted guys are either seventh-round hopefuls who didn’t make it or complete longshots. Lucas was projected to go as high as the fifth round.
The rankings tell the story. Pro Football Focus had him at 109. The Athletic ranked him 185th. ESPN put him at 194. Look, he’s not some elite gem that thirty-one other teams somehow missed. But he’s absolutely a guy who can make the 53-man roster in Allen Park.
What Lucas Brings to the Table
Lucas can set the edge in the run game, and that’s his calling card. He’s got long arms that help him present a wide front, like a defensive end version of making yourself look bigger when you’re scared. This helps him wrap up runners and stuff running plays before they get started.
Here’s the kicker: he doesn’t miss tackles. Six missed tackles in four college seasons. When Lucas gets his hands on you, you’re going down. Period.
In pass rush situations, he’s a bull rusher who brings consistent pressure even if he doesn’t pile up sacks. He recorded 23 pressures last year. The run stuffing ability is what makes him interesting for this Lions defense.
The Work Still Needed
Lucas can bull rush, but that’s about it right now. He needs more moves in his arsenal if he wants to be a legitimate pass rushing threat in the NFL. You can’t expect all of that development to happen in one summer, but the Lions need to see at least some progress to justify a roster spot.
He plays with his hair on fire, which sounds good until it isn’t. Lucas needs to learn to be more intentional about how he gets to the quarterback. Flying around with no plan is how you overpursue and get juked or miss completely.
Holmes has a track record of finding these kinds of players and developing them into contributors. Is Lucas the next success story from the UDFA pile, or just another camp body? Let us know what you think in the comments.
