The Detroit Lions struck gold in last year’s draft with multiple starters. Will that be the case again in 2024?

The Detroit Lions have struck gold with their draft classes under general manager Brad Holmes. Will the 2024 NFL Draft be a repeat story?

Since being hired, Holmes has acquired numerous starters in the draft, many of which stepped into those roles right off the bat. In 2021, Penei Sewell and Alim McNeill were starters in Week 1, while Amon-Ra St. Brown quickly jumped into the Starting lineup. The following year, the Lions got an obvious starter in Aidan Hutchinson, but Kerby Joseph and Malcolm Rodriguez also earned the starting nod at their respective positions. Not to be outdone, Holmes hit with four starters in 2023: Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta, and Brian Branch.

The Lions have done a phenomenal job of building up their starters via the draft, but 2024 could be a different situation. After falling just short of the Super Bowl, the Lions came out of the early free agency period with multiple solid starters. Their roster is suddenly quite robust, and there might not be room for a rookie to start right away like previous years. That being said, Holmes has found starters through the draft, and to doubt his abilities after this successful streak would be unwise.

Today’s Question of the Day is:

Will the Lions select an immediate starter in the 2024 NFL Draft?

My answer: I believe they will not.

While I believe the Lions will draft players that will eventually develop into starters, I am leaning towards none of them being starters come Week 1 barring injury. The key reason why is the overall talented roster that the team has put together—how many starting roles are even up for grabs?

On offense, Jared Goff is the obvious starter at quarterback, while David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs are the 1A and 1B options at running back. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are the starters at wide out, and while a rookie could slide into the WR3 role, I would not classify that as a starting role. One such reason is tight end Sam LaPorta, who should be on the field as much as possible in 2024. As for the offensive line, the starting five is set: Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell at tackle, Graham Glasgow and Kevin Zeilter at guard, and Frank Ragnow at center.

The defense has also been solidified this offseason. The interior features Alim McNeill and DJ Reader as starters, while Aidan Hutchinson and Josh Paschal, John Cominsky, or Marcus Davenport are the starters on paper. The linebacking corps will feature Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, and Jack Campbell. The secondary, despite the release of Cameron Sutton, looks locked in with Carlton Davis, Amik Robertson, and Brian Branch. The safety group is somewhat thin, but Kerby Joseph and Ifeatu Melifonwu should be the unquestioned starters.

The only realistic openings I see for a rookie are at fullback, defensive end, kicker, and long snapper.

If the Lions end up selecting a defensive end with the 29th pick, I could see that player becoming a starter right off the bat. Neither Cominsky nor Paschal nor Davenport have their roles set in stone, so a pass rusher like Chop Robinson, Laiatu Latu, or Dallas Turner could possibly earn the starting job. However, pick 29 is the only real scenario where I see a true Day 1 starter at defensive end. Any pick later in the draft will likely be phased into the role, rather that starting from the get-go.

The other possible spots I’ve highlighted each have minimal draft value. If the Lions drafted a fullback, kicker, or long snapper, they would be shoo-ins for the starting spots. However, I think it is unlikely any of these positions are addressed in the draft. Each of these positions have historically had success as undrafted free agents, and while the Lions could spend a late-round pick on them, they might not qualify as the “best player available” on the board.

Even if the Lions don’t have a rookie starting in 2024 right away, that is not a bad thing. The Lions have built themselves up with years of excellent drafting, and they no longer require immediate contributions from rookies. For example, the Lions can justify drafting an offensive lineman to sit for 2024 and take over for one of Decker or Zeitler the following year.

Should the Lions draft a rookie to start right away, or can they afford to play the waiting game with their young prospects? Let us know in the comments below.