2025 NFL Draft

[AlaskanTigersFan]

On 4/1/2025 at 8:38 AM, Jimbo said:

After reading ESPN's Ranking Depth at each position for this years draft I realize one reason why Holmes is one of the best GM's in the league.  It was going through RB and TE depth and who they identify as 1rst round grades.  It says that in 2023 ESPN identified only Bijon as the only 1rst round grade for RB and Kincaid and Mayer for TE.  That just show's that ESPN influences how we think of the draft.  Because obviously Holmes identified Gibbs and Laporta as 1rst round grades when ESPN didn't and he was proven right.  I think we can comfortably say Laporta is better than both of the TE's given 1rst round grades in 2023.  And Gibbs is at least just as good if not better than Bijon.  I just remember everyone being so upset during that draft (that did also include Campbell).  Now I am not saying ESPN (and other sports sites) always gets it wrong, I am just saying that I put a lot more trust into what Holmes evaluates than what you read online.  I do understand though that ESPN and other sites have to evaluate in general and not fit for each team (even though they try).

I think this is a great post. I just hope Brad doesn't "Miss" in the upcoming draft. To hit at the rate he has is literally unbelievable. At some point he's going to make a mistake. I just hope it's at least a 4th rounder or beyond when the "miss" happens. Holmes is a great GM. I trust him and his scouts. Very impressed.

[Shinzaki]

Two round mock on ESPN today has Detroit taking DT Harmon in rd 1 and OG Tate Ratledge in rd 2.  I would prefer Zabel in rd 1 and DT Darius Alexander in rd 2...but  Zabel is off the board in their mock...as is Alexander in rd 2

[Mr.TaterSalad]

While the overall RAS score number isn't available Harmon certainly seems to have some of the high RAS traits that Brad Holmes likes. He seems like a tweener DT in that he's not a complete space eater like a DJ Reader, but he does offer some pass rush versatility having had 5 sacks last year at Oregon. His NFL.com scouting report compares him to DaQuan Jones of the Bills, who plays more as a run stopping specialist.

[1984Echoes]

On 3/27/2025 at 9:00 AM, AlaskanTigersFan said:

Didn't we overpay for Manu? ...

The team keeps saying that he is "crushing it". That he looks like a monster.

They're talking about putting him at one of the guard spots this year.

If he ends up starting at some point, and... "crushes it"...

No, not an overpay.

But as you said... it's all wait and see at this point.

[buddha]

On 4/2/2025 at 9:05 AM, AlaskanTigersFan said:

I think this is a great post. I just hope Brad doesn't "Miss" in the upcoming draft. To hit at the rate he has is literally unbelievable. At some point he's going to make a mistake. I just hope it's at least a 4th rounder or beyond when the "miss" happens. Holmes is a great GM. I trust him and his scouts. Very impressed.

like trading multiple picks for brodrick martin?  😉

[buddha]

22 hours ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

While the overall RAS score number isn't available Harmon certainly seems to have some of the high RAS traits that Brad Holmes likes. He seems like a tweener DT in that he's not a complete space eater like a DJ Reader, but he does offer some pass rush versatility having had 5 sacks last year at Oregon. His NFL.com scouting report compares him to DaQuan Jones of the Bills, who plays more as a run stopping specialist.

ras is a nice tool, but its become one of the most over-relied upon tools in the twitter-sphere.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

3 minutes ago, buddha said:

like trading multiple picks for brodrick martin?  😉

Martin may end up being Holmes' version of Gabe Wright.

[buddha]

5 minutes ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Martin may end up being Holmes' version of Gabe Wright.

that's a comparison some of us made at the time.

look, no one hits on every pick.  brad holmes has made the lions one of the most talented teams in the nfl.  he's a great gm.  he can draft all the brodrick martins he wants if he keeps getting amon ra, kerby joseph, brian branch, sam laporta, etc etc etc.

he's been one of the best drafters in the nfl.

[Jason_R]

On 3/30/2025 at 11:52 AM, Jason_R said:

Two mock drafts in two days have Detroit picking Mike Green. SI (https://www.si.com/nfl/2025-nfl-mock-draft-first-round-predictions-cam-ward-shedeur-sanders-travis-hunter) and Pat Kirwan on Moving the Chains SiriusXM NFL Radio.

Leaving aside the allegations against him, it seems he's too small to be the "can crushing" DE they like. Pearce is also expected to be around late in the 1st round but also seems a little undersized and has his own character questions. Mykel Williams from Georgia fits the profile but is expected to go early. 

With GB picking at 23 and MIN at 24, it wouldn't be a total shock to see Holmes try to move up to 20/21/22 with DEN/PIT/LAC if a guy they love starts to drop. 

Would they move up for Shemar Stewart if he fell to the 20/21/22 range? 

[1984Echoes]

Any guy they trade up for has to love football more than breathing. His last dying wish has to be "I wanna be a Lion and hand my life over to Dan Campbell."

That's what we won't know. Only Brad Homes and all his team (including DC and coaches) get to go inside these guys' heads and try to figure out what makes them tick.

Does Shemar Stewart love football more than breathing?

Then the answer to your question is: "maybe".

Does the team also believe they can unlock his pass-rush abilities? Because although he'd be a great edge-setter, and is able to apply "pressure" on the QB, he didn't produce very many sacks at all. So the team would have to believe they can unlock that ability, otherwise, I would say no.

Too many tricky questions to answer with any kind of certainty. It's all maybes with Brad because we all know he could do just about ANYTHING... Whoever they "fall in love with" the most is a fair target.

So: Tyler Booker? Kenneth Grant? Shemar Stewart? Derrick Harmon? Grey Zabel? Donovan Jackson? Mykel Williams? Jonah Savaiinaea (nfl.com says so)? Or someone no one, not one of us, has even thought of?

 

You can pick your poison... but you KNOW that Brad Holmes is going to pick HIS...

[Mr.TaterSalad]

Maybe I'm wrong about this, but I get major Josh Paschal vibes from Shemar Stewart. A guy that has tools to be a good all around player, but nothing special as a pass rushing, QB terrorizing guy on the edge. Like Paschal, Stewart has high athletic upside and as RAS score above 9. Like Paschal though, I don't see an Edge that can really get at the QB and disrupt plays. The production as a pass rushing Edge/DE just wasn't there in college and I get that there is more than just pure sack numbers to being a good pass rusher. I guess he had a 12% pressure rate at Texas A&M but he never logged more than 1.5 sacks in any season. He was a combine warrior, but the production simply wasn't there and I'm concerned as to why.

Edited Thursday at 04:35 PM by Mr.TaterSalad

[4hzglory]

1 hour ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Maybe I'm wrong about this, but I get major Josh Paschal vibes from Shemar Stewart. A guy that has tools to be a good all around player, but nothing special as a pass rushing, QB terrorizing guy on the edge. Like Paschal, Stewart has high athletic upside and as RAS score above 9. Like Paschal though, I don't see an Edge that can really get at the QB and disrupt plays. The production as a pass rushing Edge/DE just wasn't there in college and I get that there is more than just pure sack numbers to being a good pass rusher. I guess he had a 12% pressure rate at Texas A&M but he never logged more than 1.5 sacks in any season. He was a combine warrior, but the production simply wasn't there and I'm concerned as to why.

Personally I agree.  You would like to see at least a bit of production.  Evidently he misses a ton of tackles.  I'd be very cautious.

 

However, if Holmes/Campbell believe his deficiencies are fixable and they believe he eats and breathes football, they have earned my trust and I'll be happy with the pick.

[Stanley70]

22 hours ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Maybe I'm wrong about this, but I get major Josh Paschal vibes from Shemar Stewart. A guy that has tools to be a good all around player, but nothing special as a pass rushing, QB terrorizing guy on the edge. Like Paschal, Stewart has high athletic upside and as RAS score above 9. Like Paschal though, I don't see an Edge that can really get at the QB and disrupt plays. The production as a pass rushing Edge/DE just wasn't there in college and I get that there is more than just pure sack numbers to being a good pass rusher. I guess he had a 12% pressure rate at Texas A&M but he never logged more than 1.5 sacks in any season. He was a combine warrior, but the production simply wasn't there and I'm concerned as to why.

Shemar Stewart had one of the highest RAS's scores for a DE ever, like 3rd out of 1600. He's fast and big. He could just be a workout warrier, but he has potential that is for sure.

Why so few sacks? Was he playing inside a lot? Contain? It's almost if he does drop to 28 other teams must have their doubts on him.

 

 

[Jason_R]

11 hours ago, Stanley70 said:

Shemar Stewart had one of the highest RAS's scores for a DE ever, like 3rd out of 1600. He's fast and big. He could just be a workout warrier, but he has potential that is for sure.

Why so few sacks? Was he playing inside a lot? Contain? It's almost if he does drop to 28 other teams must have their doubts on him.

 

 

From what I read he was subbed out a lot on passing downs and shifted inside. His teammate Nic Scourton is another DE expected to go in 1st round  

I don’t know if he is the right pick but Holmes has a tendency to move up for athletic freaks. Some are projecting OL but I don’t see that happening. 

[Sports_Freak]

On 4/3/2025 at 3:17 PM, buddha said:

that's a comparison some of us made at the time.

look, no one hits on every pick.  brad holmes has made the lions one of the most talented teams in the nfl.  he's a great gm.  he can draft all the brodrick martins he wants if he keeps getting amon ra, kerby joseph, brian branch, sam laporta, etc etc etc.

he's been one of the best drafters in the nfl.

Well said and I agree. I'm seeing talk on....Twitter....people saying the Lions will draft a WR at 28 and trade Jaymo. It makes sense if we can't sign all of our talent, he has all the talent in the world but also seems kinda immature.

[buddha]

24 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

Well said and I agree. I'm seeing talk on....Twitter....people saying the Lions will draft a WR at 28 and trade Jaymo. It makes sense if we can't sign all of our talent, he has all the talent in the world but also seems kinda immature.

i would not sign jaymo to a big deal.  no way.

he's certainly not a bust.  he's a quality player.  but the lions have LOTS of quality players and they cant keep them all.

[MichiganCardinal]

28 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

Well said and I agree. I'm seeing talk on....Twitter....people saying the Lions will draft a WR at 28 and trade Jaymo. It makes sense if we can't sign all of our talent, he has all the talent in the world but also seems kinda immature.

If they select a WR in the first two rounds, I expect Jamo to be traded next year, after they pickup his 5th year option. Give the rookie a year to develop as the WR3 or WR4while riding out Jamo’s rookie deal.

Jamo should net a 2nd round pick. Maybe even a late 1.

Edited 21 hours ago by MichiganCardinal

[Sports_Freak]

24 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

If they select a WR in the first two rounds, I expect Jamo to be traded next year, after they pickup his 5th year option. Give the rookie a year to develop as the WR3 or WR4while riding out Jamo’s rookie deal.

Jamo should net a 2nd round pick. Maybe even a late 1.

I don't know. A rebuilding team may not want to invest that much in one player. And a quality team may not be able to afford him. Waiting to extend him will end up costing even more, if the Lions plan on keeping him.

[MichiganCardinal]

47 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

I don't know. A rebuilding team may not want to invest that much in one player. And a quality team may not be able to afford him. Waiting to extend him will end up costing even more, if the Lions plan on keeping him.

It would be silly for them to trade him after the draft and go into the season relying on a rookie to be a key contributor on offense. They should compete for a Super Bowl this year, and that move would make them worse not better.

I'd rather take a 3rd round pick and trade him in March 2026 than a 2nd round pick and trade him in May 2025.

[4hzglory]

18 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

It would be silly for them to trade him after the draft and go into the season relying on a rookie to be a key contributor on offense. They should compete for a Super Bowl this year, and that move would make them worse not better.

I'd rather take a 3rd round pick and trade him in March 2026 than a 2nd round pick and trade him in May 2025.

Change the word silly to “downright stupid “ and I agree 100 pct

[Sports_Freak]

2 hours ago, MichiganCardinal said:

It would be silly for them to trade him after the draft and go into the season relying on a rookie to be a key contributor on offense. They should compete for a Super Bowl this year, and that move would make them worse not better.

I'd rather take a 3rd round pick and trade him in March 2026 than a 2nd round pick and trade him in May 2025.

Agreed. All things being equal, my first choice would be to extend him. Since Detroit took him in the 1st round and stood behind him during his self-inflicted "issues", I wonder if he would give us a discount? I don't wanna lose Hutch, Branch, Kirby or LaPorta. Or Jaymo. Maybe they'll raise the salary cap enough to keep everyone. And Brad? Quit drafting all these great players...🤣🤣🤣

[1984Echoes]

On 4/6/2025 at 5:37 PM, 1984Echoes said:

... It's all maybes with Brad because we all know he could do just about ANYTHING... Whoever they "fall in love with" the most is a fair target.

So: ... You can pick your poison... but you KNOW that Brad Holmes is going to pick HIS...

Speaking of which:

Who would be your CRAZIEST Brad Holmes, out of the blue 1st round pick?

Mine: I would say that the Lions could easily fall in love with Emmanwori or Jihaad Campbell. I think these two are very similar: Emmanwori is a BIG SS who can do almost anything on the field, including playing coverage LB'er if needed. Particularly covering TE's, RB's, big receivers. I think Jihaad Campbell is the exact same, only in reverse: A small linebacker that makes plays all over and could play SS. The team LOVES putting Branch at nickel... so...

If ONE of them falls to 28, either Emmanwori (not very likely) or Jihaad (he seems to be slipping some... I've seen him mocked 31...); Brad and the rest of the Lions are "in LOVE" with both of these guys and...

So my CRAZY pick is... Jihaad Campbell.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

I wouldn't put it past Holmes to draft Campbell and then let Rodriguez and/or Anzalone walk in the future. I would be mildly surprised if Campbell was drafted, but not shocked given that we love going BPA.