How could Lions GM Brad Holmes surprise us again in the 2024 NFL Draft?

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes isn’t afraid to go against conventional norms and surprise some people with his personnel decisions. While many of the national folks were shocked by last year’s selection of Jahmyr Gibbs, the following pick in the draft was just as surprising. The Lions didn’t have much of a need at linebacker, yet they loved Jack Campbell so much that they weren’t going to let them slip by.

Holmes’ insistence on drafting the best player available can make predicting Detroit’s draft haul particularly challenging. And with the Lions’ roster as solid as it has ever been in recent memory, there isn’t a single position that screams, “You have to draft this.”

So if just about everything is on the table for Holmes and company, is there anything they could do draft weekend that would surprise (or anger) Lions fans, but remains a very real possibility?

That’s one of the main topics we talked about on this week’s “Mane Line” show, where we answer your questions live on Twitter Spaces.

Here’s a snippet of our answers to the question.

Jeremy Reisman:

“I think going offensive tackle in the first round is very much play. Obviously, the Lions have two starting tackles, and obviously they like both of them, and maybe even Taylor Decker gets an extension this offseason. We all know that Penei (Sewell) is going to get one next offseason. But, one, I think some of the talent is going to be there. They may have to trade up to do it, which I’m also not ruling out. But I think this team needs to get younger and cheaper on the offensive line.”

Ryan Mathews:

“Moving up for a wide receiver. Brad Holmes loves wide receivers. I think that’s just a known fact right now. He tried to move up for Ja’Marr Chase in 2021, moved up for Jameson Williams the following year.”

Erik Schlitt:

“It wouldn’t surprise me to see them walk out of the first two days (of the draft) without a corner. I think people would get really upset about that, as their lack of corner depth is still out there. At the same time, I could see them adding two offensive linemen and a wide receiver with the first three picks and then waiting until Day 3. They probably won’t only add offense, but if they added an EDGE and then two offensive players, and then waited until Day 3 to select a corner, that wouldn’t surprise me at all.”

That entire conversation begins around the 16:40 mark of the podcast linked and embedded below.

Other topics this week (with timestamps):

• 5:00 — How big of an officiating disaster is the hip-drop tackle ban going to be?
• 8:00 — Is Michigan CB Mike Sainristil a realistic option for the Lions?
• 11:30 — Is Chop Robinson redundant with James Houston already on the roster?
• 31:30 — How has Brad Holmes changed our approach to covering the pre-draft process?
• 39:50 — Should the Cam Sutton situation change Detroit’s process in character evaluation at all?
• 48:00 — Breaking down FSU corners Renardo Green and Jarrian Jones
• 51:30 — Building our All-Time Lions best flag football team
• 58:00 — Should the Lions match the 49ers’ offer for Brock Wright?
• 1:11:15 — Do the Lions need a veteran leader in the secondary?
• 1:19:00 — With the 29th overall pick, is there a position that could offer more of an immediate impact than WR?
• 1:32:30 — Are Lions fans overrating Amik Robertson already?

Check out the entire show below, or via this link, or on any of the podcasting platforms you prefer. Just search “Pride of Detroit.”