Holmes Had Two Days to Get This Right. Did He?
The Lions walked into this draft with more needs than last year and less wiggle room to fix them. After a quiet free agency, Brad Holmes knew the pressure was on. His star players want extensions. The salary cap is tightening. The best way to keep this thing rolling was to nail the draft.
He mostly did. But let’s break down every pick and see where this thing lands.
Round 1, Pick 17: OT Blake Miller, Clemson
Your new starting right tackle, folks. Miller was picked higher than projected, but Holmes got his guy while he could. This kid fits the Lions culture like a glove.
On the field, he’s tough, quick, and has great footwork. Off the field, he doesn’t like being off the field. He missed exactly one practice at Clemson for surgery on a broken wrist. According to Dane Brugler’s The Beast, “The thought of letting down his coaches and teammates kills him.”
If that doesn’t scream Lion, nothing does. Miller didn’t opt out of the Pinstripe Bowl in December after Clemson went 7-5 and had a disappointing season. He could have protected his draft stock but wanted to play with his teammates one more time, setting a Clemson record with 54 straight starts. He’ll battle Larry Borom for the right tackle job and should win it.
Grade: A
Round 2, Pick 44: EDGE Derrick Moore, Michigan
Holmes traded up from pick 50 to 44, giving up a 2026 fourth-round pick (128) to get his edge rusher. Moore was picked higher than projected, but Holmes said he was the top edge defender left on their board. With Baltimore picking at 45, he felt the heat to jump ahead.
Moore generates pressure with strength and power. His run defense needs work, but he’s willing. He improved every year at Michigan, finishing with a team-high 10 sacks and was tied for ninth in the country with a 92.4 PFF pass rush grade. He might not start immediately, but by season’s end, he should be taking most snaps opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
Grade: B+
Round 4, Pick 118: LB Jimmy Rolder, Michigan
More defense, more depth. Rolder is a solid run defender who doesn’t miss tackles. His lack of experience as a one-year starter could limit his playing time in 2026, but he’ll compete with Malcolm Rodriguez for a possible starting role depending on scheme adjustments.
If he doesn’t start in 2026, he’ll play special teams, something he did for three years at Michigan before becoming the starter in 2025. With Derrick Barnes the only linebacker under contract beyond 2026 until the team decides on Jack Campbell, Rolder gives the Lions a long-term option at the position.
Grade: B
Round 5, Pick 157: CB Keith Abney II, Arizona State
No position needed depth more than cornerback. Injuries have hammered this spot for two straight seasons. Abney is versatile enough to play outside and inside, but expect him to focus on the nickelback role, competing with Roger McCreary for the starting job.
He’s a playmaker this defense could use more of, especially with their top two secondary playmakers dealing with injuries.
Grade: A-
Round 5, Pick 168: WR Kendrick Law, Kentucky
Here’s the head scratcher. Holmes traded up from 181 to 168, giving up a sixth-round pick for a kick returner. While Law has solid hands and could compete for WR4, this doesn’t feel like a pick the Lions could afford right now.
Holmes doesn’t always draft for need, but with glaring holes at more important positions, this was his biggest reach. Law might not even make the 53-man roster. Keeping a guy strictly as a kick returner isn’t necessary, and this gives us the yearly Holmes project that hasn’t worked out yet.
Grade: C-
Round 6, Pick 205: DT Skyler Gill-Howard, Texas Tech
Back to defense. Gill-Howard is a balanced defensive tackle who can stop the run and rush the passer. He’ll compete for a roster spot, and if he bounces back from his season-ending ankle injury suffered in October, he could be a steal that gives the Lions more help up front.
Grade: C+
Round 7, Pick 222: EDGE Tyre West, Tennessee
Holmes closed with another versatile defensive lineman. West played edge at Tennessee but scouts project him moving inside. The Lions love versatility, so if West can play both spots, he could be a replacement for Levi Onwuzurike in 2027.
Grade: C+
The Verdict: Holmes Got It Mostly Right
Holmes had a great first two days. He didn’t overpay to land Miller in the first round, then addressed pass rush needs with Moore in the second. The trade up for Moore was smart, getting ahead of Baltimore who drafted Zion Young with the next pick.
Day 3 started strong with Rolder and Abney addressing real needs. But things took a turn with the Law pick. Trading up for a wide receiver who might be a kick returner? When tight end and running back went completely ignored?
Those are minor complaints though. We don’t know if Sione Vaki can be RB3, and who’s playing tight end for the Lions in 2027? Nobody is currently signed. But these are problems that can be solved in the next five months.
The important thing is this: I walked away happier than frustrated. That’s better than the hopeless feeling we got from previous regimes. Holmes accomplished his mission of improving the team while planning for the future, even if I don’t love every pick.
Overall Grade: B
Did Holmes nail this draft or are we overthinking a solid but unspectacular haul? Drop your brutally honest take below.
