Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes says he doesn’t draft for need.
“I think you can get in trouble chasing these sometimes and then you’re dependent on a rookie,” Holmes said prior to the 2025 NFL Draft and countless times before that.
Yet when you look at the Lions’ draft class this year, it covered many of the team’s long-term needs. Whether by coincidence or intention, the Lions got their interior defender of the future, a pair of guards to contend for open starting spots, their potential long-term X-receiver, they safety depth they needed, and, yes, even a developmental edge defender who could grow into a significant contributor.