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While the NFL Draft party plays out downtown, the Detroit Lions will be at work a little further south and to the west.
Lions’ general manager Brad Holmes and his staff will be at the team’s practice facility in Allen Park, Mich. conducting what might be the team’s most challenging draft in Holmes’ four years with the club. For the first time in franchise history, the Lions will have to wait until the 29th pick in the first round to make a selection, which is the latest latest the team has ever picked in the opening round.
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“It is what it is,” Holmes said in reference to the team’s slot for making the conference final. “I don’t want to say it’s any less pressure because you’ve got to get every single pick right as well, at least that’s the standard that we hold ourselves to whether it’s at 29 or it’s been seven or six or two or all those things.”
The latest the Lions have previously waited to make a selection was in 2015 when the team took guard Laken Tomlinson at No. 28, but that was after trading back from No. 23 with Denver.
“It kind of seems like everyone is just kind of celebrating (pick) one through 15 or something, but we just kind of stick to the same process,” Holmes said. “It just has to be the right fit.”
Holmes has quickly shown in Detroit that he has the ability to find talent inside the first round or outside of it as well. Tight end Same LaPorta, defensive back Brian Branch, safety Kerby Joseph, defensive tackle Alim McNeill and receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown are just a few of the players taken later in the draft that have made a significant contribution in turning the Detroit’s fortunes around.
This year, it’s also a reason Holmes can take a slightly different approach when making a selection.
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“When we first got here, we had a ton of needs,” Holmes said. “So, we could go for the most talented guy, the guy that really fit the most. We could have gone in so many different directions and that resulted in a lot of young players have top lay early and (they) got a lot of experience.
“Really, with where the roster is now, I actually think we have every more flexibility to not be anchored into a need. (Along with free-agent additions) I actually get more comfort of how the roster is now. It’s less of, ‘Oh, we really need this, we need depth here, we need that.’ We’ve alway said best player, but it’s more emphasized now.”
Detroit will have three picks in the top 73 to add to a solid base of talent and seven selections overall. However, Holmes has not been shy in moving up and down the draft board to go after a player he believes is the right fit, but, even with the event being in Detroit, he’s not ruled out trading out of the first round, which would me the Lions would not make a pick on Thursday’s opening day of the NFL Draft.
“Look, we have to do the right thing for the organization,” Holmes said. “If it makes sense and it lines up and it’s the right thing to do, then we have to do the right thing.
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“If it’s a guy we really want, we’ll definitely make an effort, if it makes sense. It just sometimes might not make sense. You’ve got to look at what you’re giving up.”
jpparker@postmedia.com
twitter.com/winstarparker
PREVIEW BOX
What: 2024 NFL Draft
When: Round 1 starts at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Round 2 and 3 will start at 7 p.m. on Friday and Round 4 through 7 take place on Saturday starting at 12 noon.
Where: For the first time, NFL Draft Central is in downtown Detroit, but the Lions will make the team’s seven selections from the club’s practice facility in Allen Park, Mich.
TV: Round 1 on TSN 1 and 4, ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network and starts at 8 p.m.
Lions picks: Round 1 (No. 29), Round 2 (No. 61), Round 3 (No. 73), Round 5 (No. 164), Round 6 (No. 201 and No. 205) and Round 7 (No. 249).
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