Lions fans grade Brad Holmes’ draft class and the results will shock absolutely no one
The dust has settled on another Brad Holmes draft, and Lions fans have delivered their verdict. Spoiler alert: they trust the process.
Here’s what Holmes brought back to Allen Park this time around: Blake Miller, the right tackle from Clemson in the first round at pick 17. Derrick Moore, an edge rusher from Michigan who required a trade-up to land at pick 44. Then Jimmy Rolder, linebacker from Michigan in round four at pick 118. Keith Abney, cornerback from Arizona State in round five at pick 157. Kendrick Law, slot receiver from Kentucky in another trade-up situation in round five at pick 168. And a couple of defensive linemen to close things out with Skyler Gill-Howard from Texas A&M at pick 205 and Tyre West from Tennessee at pick 222.
The fan grades? A solid 84% gave this class a B or better. Because of course they did.
What Lions fans are actually saying
Look, we’ve been burned enough times to know that draft grades in April mean exactly nothing. But the reasoning behind these grades tells a different story.
Bishop West kept it simple: “I’ll give it a grade A for the first two picks. Anything positive from rounds 4-7 is a cherry on top.” That’s the kind of measured optimism you develop after decades of watching this franchise draft kickers in the second round.
Others saw the Holmes fingerprints all over this class. As jjrod78 put it, this draft had “lots of guys who fit their mold of grit, character, toughness, whatever you want to call it.” Translation: these picks feel like Lions picks in the best possible way.
The Blake Miller selection seems to be the consensus home run. Burton Guster Fan Club summed it up perfectly: “Even if every single other pick flops, Miller is so good that this class is at least a B.”
The Holmes factor
Here’s what stands out about this draft class, beyond the individual picks. Holmes managed his trade-ups without mortgaging future draft capital. ULTIMATEpunisher007 nailed why that matters: “The best part was that Brad didn’t spend next year’s picks on any of the trade-ups.”
That’s the kind of asset management this franchise never had before Holmes arrived in Allen Park. When you’ve watched previous regimes trade away tomorrow for players who barely made it to Sunday, you appreciate a GM who protects his resources while still being aggressive when he spots his guys.
The Michigan connections with Moore and Rolder feel intentional too. Holmes has shown he’s not afraid to bet on players who understand what it means to compete at the highest level in this state.
So there you have it. Another Holmes draft, another round of cautiously optimistic grades from a fanbase that has learned the hard way not to get too excited in April. But damn if it doesn’t feel different when you trust the guy making the picks.
Think Holmes nailed it again or are we setting ourselves up for disappointment? Drop your brutally honest draft take below.
Blake Miller alone makes this class worth it for me. You can feel the difference when Holmes finds his guys instead of reaching for need. The fact that he didn’t blow up future drafts to move up is exactly the kind of patient aggressiveness we needed around here.
I like what I’m seeing on paper but let’s pump the brakes a little. We’ve all gotten excited about draft classes before and watched them not pan out. I’m cautiously optimistic but I’m not handing out A grades until these guys actually contribute on Sundays.
This is what competent drafting looks like. You can tell Holmes is building this the right way, not panicking or making desperation moves. Compare this approach to how things used to go around here and it’s night and day. Finally feels like someone knows what they’re doing.