Lions GM Brad Holmes pounds the table in excitement after the drafting of Jahmyr Gibbs (Screenshot from Lions X account).
FOX 2 (WJBK) - When Jahmy Gibbs was selected 12th overall in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Lions, those inside the war room erupted in excitement.
Video of the moment showed General Manager Brad Holmes shouting and pounding the table three times, trading high-fives and hugs, shouting all the while. The move left more than a few Lions fans wondering why, as D'Andre Swift and David Montgomery were already on the team.
The next day, headlines like this hit the online sphere: "Lions’ 2023 NFL Draft room goes wild after bewildering Jahmyr Gibbs pick (New York Post) or "Football Fans Left Stunned By Detroit Drafting An RB In The First Round" (Outkick).
Little did everyone know - Holmes was one step ahead of the fans, analysts, and nearly the entire NFL - as usual. Swift would later be traded and Gibbs proved to be an electric addition to the offense with 1,261 total yards, 11 touchdowns, and a Pro Bowl alternate designation.
Ever since his hiring in 2021, not only has he been at the forefront of the Lions' rebuilding, but one of his trademarks has been his accuracy in the NFL Draft.
With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching in Detroit April 25. Holmes' philosophy of selecting the best player available trumps the urge to pick for need. The Lions pick at number 29 of the first round for the first time ever in that slot.
"We're the best we've been in four years, and we feel like, man, we've got a lot of those holes filled," Holmes told Tim Twentyman on the Lions website. "And so this kind of feels like the first draft we're going in and, we're still best player available, but we've got places taken care of going into the draft, which is pretty cool."
Holmes was named the 2023 Pro Football Writers Association Executive of the Year and the foundation behind the accolade is an obvious one.
Gibbs isn't the only Lion to bring major impact to the team over the past few years. A dozen picks have helped feed the recent success, including:
- 2023: LB Jack Campbell (1st round), TE Sam LaPorta (2nd round), DB Brian Branch (2nd Round),
- 2022: DE Aidan Hutchinson (1st round), WR Jameson Williams (1st round), DB Kerby Joseph (2nd round), LB James Houston (6th round)
- 2021: OL Penei Sewell (1st round), Alim McNeil (2nd round), WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (4th round), and LB Derrick Barnes (4th round).
More Draft coverage:
- NFL Draft in Detroit: What to know as city prepares for event
- Incoming NFL Draft's transformation of Detroit has begun
- 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit: Road closure schedule starts March 29
- Lions pick at No. 29 in 1st round for the first time
Among the 2022 selections, Hutchinson deservedly earned plenty of headlines and accolades at the top of the draft, but at the bottom was one of his biggest diamonds in the rough in Houston, selected in the 6th round of the 2022 Draft with the 217th pick.
Although he was injured in 2023, his rookie season where he fought his way into the defensive line rotation, the former Jackson State product became a midseason revelation as only the third player in NFL history to open his career with sacks in four straight games - and finished with eight in seven games.
Pro Football Focus ranked Holmes among the top 10 general managers in the NFL, crediting his patience for development and eye for young talent while avoiding taking big swings in free agency or trades.
Holmes explained to FOX 2's Dan Miller how the best choices in the draft comes down to "The best player for us."
Related: Draft Day in the D: Downtown Detroit parks hosting celebrations during NFL Draft
"That's what's so great about the draft," Holmes said. "(There's) 31 other teams - the best player for us may not be the best player for those other teams. But if you look at it from like a behavioral economic standpoint, if you're if you're shopping for some wine, the most expensive bottle of wine, that might not be the best-tasting wine for your palate. So what's the best-tasting wine for our palate? Well, that's how we operate and we don't really care what anybody else thinks and that's how we've operated and that's how we're going to continue to go.
Dan Miller: "Some people said Jahmyr Gibbs wasn't a good wine."
"Exactly, exactly," Holmes said laughing. "That's a great way to put it."
Stay with FOX 2 for everything NFL Draft-related as we march towards April 25 and throughout the draft.
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Brad Holmes on free agency, the draft, and fine wines
Dan Miller spoke with Lions General Manager Brad Holmes at the Annual League Meetings in Orlando on Tuesday and discussed the state of the team, the additions in free agency, the draft, and fine wines.