Holmes Played It Safe This Time (Mostly)
Here’s something that might shock you: Brad Holmes actually avoided the injury-riddled draft picks this time around. I know, I know. Check your pulse.
For years, this franchise has been collecting risk/reward players like they’re Pokemon cards. Remember Levi Onwuzurike? Josh Paschal? Hendon Hooker? All talented guys coming off big injuries or carrying concerning injury histories. The logic was always sound: if they work out, you look like a genius. If they don’t, well, at least you swung for the fences.
But this draft class was different. Blake Miller never missed a game in college. Derrick Moore missed exactly one game at Michigan. Keith Abney had some time off in his sophomore season, but nothing major.
Still, Holmes being Holmes, there are two picks that carry a little risk. Because apparently we can’t have nice things without at least some anxiety baked in.
Jimmy Rolder: The Definition of Risk/Reward
The Lions grabbed Rolder in the fourth round, and here’s where your spidey senses should start tingling. He’s got some injury history. Nothing catastrophic, but the nagging kind of stuff that makes you wonder if it could snowball into something bigger.
The real gamble? In four years at Michigan, Rolder was only a starter for one of them. One. Now, that one season was genuinely impressive, and there’s plenty of reason to believe he can develop under Dan Campbell’s coaching staff. But taking him in the fourth round is still a bet on potential over proven production.
We’ll find out if Holmes hit another home run or if we’re adding another name to the “what could have been” list.
Skyler Gill-Howard: Lower Risk, Maybe Lower Reward
Gill-Howard presents a smaller gamble, but it’s still there. He’s coming off a season-ending ankle injury that required surgery. The good news? He tested well during the athletic testing period, which suggests he’s healed up and ready to contribute.
The upside is clear: Gill-Howard could work his way into the rotation alongside Alim McNeill and Tyleik Williams. He brings legitimate run-stuffing ability and can rush the passer when needed. If the ankle holds up and he develops as expected, this could be another classic Holmes steal.
Even with the injury concern, this feels like the kind of calculated risk that has defined Holmes’ tenure in Allen Park. Low downside, meaningful upside.
So what do you think? Are these the kinds of smart gambles that separate Holmes from every other GM this franchise has had, or are we just setting ourselves up for more heartbreak? Let me know in the comments.
