Another Brad Holmes Injury Special
Here we go again. The Detroit Lions closed out the sixth round by selecting Texas Tech defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard at pick 205, and if you’re thinking this sounds familiar, you’re not wrong. Brad Holmes once again went with a player coming off an injury because apparently that’s just what we do now.
Gill-Howard suffered an ankle injury in 2025 and missed the rest of the season after playing just six games. He had surgery back in October, so he should be ready for training camp. Should be. Because nothing says Lions like banking on a sixth-round pick’s ankle holding up.
The Roster Math
Behind starters Alim McNeill and Tyliek Williams, the Lions honestly don’t know what they have at defensive tackle. Levi Onwuzurike can slide inside or rush the edge, which makes this whole thing interesting.
If Onwuzurike stays on the interior, Gill-Howard fights Mekhi Wingo for the fourth DT spot. If Onwuzurike moves outside, suddenly there’s a clearer path to the roster. Barring a complete disaster at Allen Park, the kid has a shot.
The Journey
This guy has been around. Started as a linebacker at Upper Iowa, played four games in 2021, got three tackles. Walked on at NIU in 2022 and made his debut in 2023, sticking for two seasons before transferring one more time to Texas Tech in 2025.
His career numbers are solid: 91 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two pass deflections, a fumble recovery, and a 55-yard pick-six that probably made some highlight reels. In 2024, he was on PFF’s All-MAC second team and the All-MAC third team. In 2025, he was on Phil Steele’s All-Big 12 third team, which means he can actually play.
What You’re Getting
According to PFF, Gill-Howard averaged a 77 run defense grade and a 78 pass rush grade throughout his career. His pass-rushing improved each year, finishing with 54 pressures. He can get off the snap quick and flash into the backfield.
The knock? Short arms. Yeah, we’ve heard that song before with guys like Aidan Hutchinson, and he turned out fine. The real concern is whether that ankle holds up and he can be the same player who was making plays before the injury.
The Verdict
Look, I get taking a flyer on an injured player in the sixth round. The risk is minimal, and Holmes has shown he can find talent in these late rounds. But this wasn’t exactly a screaming need when the Lions still have question marks at tight end, running back, linebacker, and arguably safety and edge rusher.
If Gill-Howard makes the team, you get a solid run defender who might surprise as a pass rusher. If he doesn’t, it’s a sixth-round pick that didn’t hurt anybody. That’s about as safe as it gets.
The grade here is a C+, and honestly, that feels about right for a depth pick that addresses a position but not necessarily a burning need.
Is Holmes just addicted to rehabbing injured players or is there actually a method to this madness? Tell me what you think in the comments.
I actually like this pick honestly. We need depth at DT and if the guy can play like he did before the injury, that’s a solid value in round 6. Holmes clearly has an eye for finding talent even if some of these guys come with injury risk. Worth the gamble imo.
Here we go with the injury prone picks again. I get that it’s round 6 so the risk is low, but this feels like a pattern that keeps coming back to bite us. Show me one of these injury specials actually works out before I get excited about another one.
You know we used to actually draft healthy players and build solid depth without taking all these flyers on guys with surgeries. That approach seemed to work a lot better than whatever we’re doing now. Just saying, there’s gotta be a better way to find talent than always betting on the comeback story.
The C+ grade feels right but honestly if this kid stays healthy he could be a nice contributor. DT isn’t glamorous but it matters, and we need all the depth we can get. Let’s see how training camp goes before we write him off.