NFL draft: Brad Holmes’ best picks as Detroit Lions GM
Brad Holmes has been the general manager of the Detroit Lions since January 2021, and in that time he has helped overhaul the organization from one of the league’s worst to a perennial Super Bowl contender.
Much of the Lions ’ recent success has started with Holmes’ approach to the NFL draft . In the five years that preceded Holmes’ tenure, the Lions’ collective draftees managed only one All-Pro selection while playing in Detroit (returner Jamal Agnew in 2017).
In the five years since Holmes took control, four Lions draft picks have recorded five first-team All-Pro selections: wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (twice), offensive tackle Penei Sewell (three times), safety Kerby Joseph (once) and linebacker Jack Campbell (once).
And that doesn’t even include some of the other outstanding talent Holmes has drafted over the last four years, including defensive end Aidan Hutchinson , who was a finalist for NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2025.
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With the 2026 NFL Draft here , let’s look at some of the best picks of Holmes’ tenure. These selections will be weighted by performance, future prognostications and value brought to the team based on the original draft position.
10. Alim McNeill , DT
Holmes drafted defensive tackle Alim McNeill in the third round of the 2021 draft and has gotten great value from McNeill in the years since. He played in all 17 games in his rookie season and started 17 in 2022 before putting up a five-sack season in 2023, good for second on the team behind edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (more on him later).
An injury at the end of the 2024 season led to an abbreviated 2025, but McNeill is still a key part of this Lions defensive front. And if Detroit returns to the playoffs in 2026, a healthy and productive McNeill may be a big reason why.
9. Jack Campbell, LB (2023 first round, 18th overall)
The 2023 draft could eventually go down as the best in franchise history , with four starters and four Pro Bowl selections over their first two seasons. It’s one reason Holmes was named NFL Executive of the Year for both 2023 and 2024 by the Pro Football Writers of America.
Holmes used one of the Lions’ two first-round picks on linebacker Jack Campbell out of Iowa. And though Campbell, 25, has occasionally been outshined by other excellent defensive contributors, he led the team with 89 solo tackles while starting all 17 games for the Lions. A first-team All-Pro pick in 2025, he's set to be a key contributor for the Lions in 2026 as the team looks to boost its defense.
8. Jameson Williams , WR (2022 first round, 12th overall)
Williams was the Lions’ second first-round selection in 2022 in a huge trade-up move , after the team picked Hutchinson second overall in the same draft (we’ll get to him later). He has been making steady improvements since his rookie season and finally broke through in 2024, his third year, with a 1,000-yard season.
That was enough for Holmes to give Williams a long-term extension despite not being the team’s No. 1 receiver. But as second options go, Williams — who grew up in an area where gunshots were white noise — is an excellent speedster for the Lions offense.
7. Brian Branch , DB (2023 second round, 45th overall)
The Lions have gotten exceptional value and play from the former Alabama standout.
Branch was named a Pro Bowler in 2024 in his second season after hauling in four interceptions and leading the team with 79 solo tackles. He had two interceptions and one fumble recovery against the Dallas Cowboys , and was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance.
With the Lions focusing on improving their secondary over the past two seasons, Branch has helped the group rise from one of the worst to a dynamic ball-hawking unit.
6. Kerby Joseph, S (2022 third round, 97th overall)
Joseph was a monster at safety for the Lions in 2024, leading the NFL with nine interceptions and returning one for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers . Joseph was named an All-Pro and finished sixth in the NFL Defensive Player of the Year (with one first-place vote).
That would be excellent production from a first-round pick, and comparatively rare value from a second-round pick. But as a third-round pick ? And at the end of the third round, no less? Considering Joseph’s NFL production, it’s a minor miracle he fell that far. He’s the biggest reason why the Lions secondary has risen to its current level.
Many NFL GM's would be happy to call Joseph their best pick, but Joseph falls below Holmes’ most impressive selections after missing most of the 2025 season with a chronic knee injury.
5. Sam LaPorta , TE (2023 second round, 34th overall)
Arguably the best pick from a stellar 2023 draft is the franchise tight end and the second-round pick out of Iowa. LaPorta finished third in the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year vote, beating out his teammate Gibbs with 86 catches and 10 touchdowns over 17 games.
LaPorta’s 146 catches over his first two seasons are second on the team only to St. Brown, emerging as one of quarterback Jared Goff ’s favorite targets. LaPorta finished sixth in receiving yards (726) among tight ends in 2024, though it represented a slight step back from his historic rookie season . 2025 was a bit of a disappointment, as a back injury limited LaPorta to just nine games.
4. Jahmyr Gibbs , RB (2023 first round, 12th overall)
Here’s that 2023 draft again, with Gibbs the best player. And even though the third-year running back wore a new number in 2025, the Lions were thankful for similar numbers from Gibbs, 23, as he put up in 2024.
In 2024, his second year, Gibbs put up one of the best rushing seasons in franchise history. He tied with Baltimore ’s Derrick Henry and Buffalo’s James Cook with an NFL-leading 16 touchdowns, as he combined for nearly 2,000 yards from scrimmage. In 2025, Gibbs took over as the starting back and produced 1,839 yards from scrimmage with 18 total TDs. The only Lions running backs who have rushed for more yards in a season than Gibbs did in 2024 (1,412) are Barry Sanders and Billy Sims. That’s pretty good company.
3. Aidan Hutchinson, DE (2022 first round, second overall)
Putting Hutchinson at fourth on this list may feel underwhelming considering the fourth-year defensive star might be the most talented player on the team. But as the second overall pick , he’s the kind of talent the Lions drafted for — and Hutchinson has more than lived up to his potential.
Hutchinson is the organization’s highest draft pick since grabbing Ndamukong Suh with the second overall pick in the 2010 draft, and it’s not crazy to think Hutchinson could exceed the hype of Suh, a five-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion. An example of Hutchinson’s impact, which you've likely read before: He led the Lions with 7½ sacks in 2024 despite playing in just five games due to his gruesome leg injury . In 2025, he paid off on that promise, with a team-high 14½ sacks while finishing as a Defensive Player of the Year finalist.
In a league with so much defensive-end talent, the Plymouth native and former Wolverine is certainly one of the league’s best.
2. Penei Sewell, RT (2021 first round, seventh overall)
Hutchinson may be the most talented player on the Lions, but it could be argued Sewell is the best on the team relative to his position. Pro Football Focus graded Sewell as the third-best tackle in the NFL last season, fitting for a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro.
Sewell was the first pick Holmes made as Lions GM , and it’s hard to argue he could have done any better. The Cowboys selected defensive star Micah Parsons five picks later, which is maybe the only player Lions fans would rather have over Sewell. But then again, getting Hutchinson the next year takes any "sting" out of that decision.
Of course, not everyone recognized the brilliance of the Sewell pick when it happened. Remember when we graded it a D immediately after? Whoops!
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1. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR (2021 fourth round, 112th overall)
Yeah, this one is a no-brainer.
Everything mentioned above about Joseph applies to St. Brown , as well - you just don’t expect this kind of star power from someone picked this late in the draft.
The draft-day concern was understandable, as the USC product was relatively small for a wide receiver. But all he has done in five seasons is silence doubters , putting up more than 6,200 receiving yards (including 1,401 yards in 2025 despite dealing with an ankle injury) and receiving back-to-back All-Pro selections in 2023 and 2024.
He’s a fan favorite, despite recently revealing how unhappy he was to be initially drafted by the Lions. But the love has become reciprocated, as St. Brown is already making his mark as one of the most impactful talents in franchise history.
You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
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This story is a revised version of the rankings from April 2025.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions NFL draft: Brad Holmes’ best picks as GM
