LIONS DRAFT RECAP: GM BRAD HOLMES BREAKS DOWN EACH PICK
,The overwhelming sense I get from Detroit Lions fans is that they do not care about draft grades anymore. That’s totally understandable after critics panned Detroit’s 2023 draft class, and then it turned out to be the best in football. Clearly, the public doesn’t have the breadth of knowledge that NFL general managers do, and Brad Holmes has earned a level of trust.
So while you can read some draft grades if you want to, let’s instead focus on Holmes himself. Who better to evaluate the Lions’ draft class than the man who spent months looking at these players and has a vision for each one?
Here’s what Holmes said about each player, with quotes from the players themselves sprinkled in:
Round 1: CB Terrion Arnold
Lions GM Brad Holmes
- On Arnold still being available:
“We knew it was an offensive-heavy Draft, that’s what we did know. But we didn’t quite know was that those defenders would get pushed to that point, especially a guy like Terrion. But we couldn’t be more ecstatic or thrilled how it went.”
- On Arnold’s physicality:
“He’ll get in your face. He’s got a challenge mentality. He will tackle. He’s got the right mindset that we’re looking for. He fits us like a glove. He fits us to a tee exactly how we want to play.”
- On Arnold’s mindset:
“He’s got a lot of energy. A lot of energy. Again, he’s got a challenge mindset. He’s got a challenge mentality. He’s got the physicality. I mean, he’s gritty. And he’s still developing, that’s the thing about him. He’s still growing and he’s still getting better. That’s what you kind of love about him. He is a corner. I don’t want to say he’s a flashy guy, he’s a big personality, but in a good way. I think you guys will enjoy him.”
Defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend
- On how Arnold’s intelligence stuck out in pre-draft meeting
“One thing that he showed was just how smart he was. The type of competitive and just smart and understanding of football were some of the things that stood out right away. His understanding of the scheme, the things they did at Alabama, how he was able to have some position flexibility.”
- On Arnold’s ball skills
“That’s one of the most important things that I look at is when we’re watching a corner is can he track and locate? Can he take the ball away? That’s one thing that you want to have the ability to do is be able to find the ball when you’re in phase and go create turnovers. And that’s always good when you can do it. But his ability, naturally find the ball is something that he has.”
Round 2: CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
Lions GM Brad Holmes:
On Rakestraw still being available at 61:
“Ennis was a guy we had ranked very, very high. He’s another one that we didn’t think he was going to make it that far. We didn’t even know if he was going to make it out of really the first night. But when he was still there starting today, I didn’t think he was going to last that long. But just – we were actually trying to get up, but we were just so far down. A lot of people don’t really want to trade that far down.”
On Rakestraw’s mentality, competitiveness
“It was something about Ennis, just the competitiveness, the drive, how he talked about his story, how he talked about his process, how he talks about just the details of ever since he came out of high school out in Texas and just the whole recruiting process and how when he got to Missouri, his whole thing about these receivers that he’s been up against in the past going against (Steelers WR George) Pickens. All these things that I was just like, ‘Man, this guy’s about one of the more competitive kids just talking with him.’ So, it’s not only that I felt a competitive dog out of him, but he was speaking it too and his tape shows the same thing.”
On Rakestraw’s film:
“At first (I) thought he was going to be a lot smaller. He was thinner the year before, but when I saw him at the LSU game, Mizzou-LSU game, his frame looked good. He looked like a guy that can play outside and survive and then you see how he is in the run game, and now you get up and face some really good receivers in the SEC.”
Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
On how he describes his own game:
“I call myself the ‘Tonesetter.’ My defense used to call me the firecracker of the team, because yeah, I’m a corner, but I’ll come up and set that edge. I’ll hit you like a linebacker and I just let my presence be felt every play that I’m out there.”
Round 4: OT Giovanni Manu
Lions GM Brad Holmes:
On how they discovered Manu:
“He had a really good workout and he kind of got on the workout circuit, and (it) really starting back with (Lions Scout, Auxiliary) Ademi Smith who scouted him and then (senior personnel executive John) Dorsey finds out about the workout, and Dorsey and (assistant GM) Ray (Agnew) talk and Ray comes to me and he’s telling me like, ‘Man, I think you’ve probably got to take a look at Giovanni here.’”
On Manu’s tape:
“It’s what it is. It’s a low-level competition, but when I watched the tape, the upside of the actual player – it’s not about who he was going against and all that stuff, I just – we just kind of got enamored with the upside.”
On Manu’s pre-draft visit:
“He came in and he did a great job and sat with the coaches, and we felt really good about him. We felt really good about his makeup. He’s wired the right way. He’s got a really cool story and he’s been through some things. But we were so blown away just (by) his makeup, his character, the way he’s wired and he’s got a lot of upside.”
Giovanni Manu
On his pre-draft visit with Lions:
“Most importantly, to me, was meeting head coach Dan Campbell and the GM. Both of them are really good guys. I relate to their work ethic and all that. And I loved my visit overall and I remember leaving, I told myself, ‘I felt at home here. And I would not mind at all if these guys took a chance on me.”
Round 4: RB/S Sione Vaki
Lions GM Brad Holmes:
On Vaki’s special teams potential:
“That’s what first stood out is we thought he was one of the better special teams players in this entire draft, all four phases of special teams. Especially with some of the changes that are coming about, he’s really – he’s starting to come to life even more. And then really later on in the process, just sticking to the special teams component, it kind of came to life even more with some possible return value. You’re looking at him at four corps in the return units as more of a blocker, but he can actually – the stuff that he can do with the ball in his hands.”
On Vaki’s potential as a running back:
“He started making these plays running the ball and in the passing game. When I saw that, I was like, ‘He’s not even majoring in this and he’s looking like that?’ And then you get more into his background, and he was more of an offensive player in high school. He did a lot of things on offense. But it was very impressive what he did with the ball in his hands, and not just making (people) miss and things like that, but he runs hard.”
On if they view him as a safety or running back?
“We have some options there, but we know he can play safety. We know he can do that, but the vision is we’re so intrigued by the running back stuff, especially because he hadn’t been majoring in it, so it’s like how far can this thing go if he’s actually majoring in this thing in one room? So that’s going to be the vision.”
Sione Vaki:
On his special teams experience:
“I was an R3 on kickoff. I was an edge on punt return. I also have some experience with returning kickoffs, as well as being in-depth for punt returns. So, I mean, I’m all about special teams. So, when it comes to that, that’s where I earned my stripes and that’s where I’ll kind of earn my stripes as well there, in Detroit.”
On the value of being a three-way player (offense, defense, special teams)
“Just my understanding of both sides of the ball, being able to play in both positions and understanding where – what to attack, where the offense wants to attack and things like that. So, in that sense, I feel like it helps me a lot coming into this Draft.”
Round 5: DT Mekhi Wingo
Lions GM Brad Holmes:
On Wingo’s character:
“I mean this guy fits our culture like a glove. Great kid. Look, it’s hard to lock down that No. 18 at LSU – that just means something. I think his character speaks for itself. His football character shows on film too, the way that he plays.”
On Wingo’s inside/outside versatility:
“I originally was just looking at him as purely just a defensive tackle that was just going to be playing inside. I was like, ‘Man, I’m not sure.’ But when I kept watching him, his rush ability really started to come to light. I kind of put him in a different box – a little bit like when we talked about (Josh) Paschal when Paschal came out. It’s like, ‘OK, can he play on the edge on first and second down, and can he do some inside rush?’ Wingo, he’s got a lot of good stuff on tape as an edge rusher actually, surprisingly. His sub-rush is pretty impressive.”
Mekhi Wingo
On his leadership:
“Being at number 18, being that leader, I had the injury early throughout the year, didn’t feel like I got my full 18 season. And of course, I could’ve just packed up, declared, and did this, but it really got to me watching my team lose a few games with me being on the sideline. So, once I had my surgery, I just rehabbed my butt off and made it an emphasis to get back on the field and be with my guys one last time.”
On how he makes up for a lack of size:
“I have to do the ordinary things, extraordinary things extremely well. I have to have better eyes than the guy that’s 6-(foot)-5 that might fall into a play and my hand placement has to be better.”
Round 6: OG Christian Mahogany
Lions GM Brad Holmes:
On why Mahogany was still available:
“I was shocked. I didn’t think he would still be there at that point. I can’t really go into details. I can probably point out a thing here or there that may have been a reason that we’ll keep internally, but there’s other players that I probably would have had a lot more questions on that went.”
On Mahogany’s playstyle:
“He fits how we want to play, and he’s a tough, physical – he’s got some dirtbag in him and he’s just one of those tough, Jersey kids that doesn’t take a lot of crap. He’s got some fun tape to watch and he’s gone against some good defensive linemen and he’s done well versus them.”
Christian Mahogany:
On why he didn’t transfer from Boston College when other offers were there:
“I would say I’m a very loyal person. I’m loyal to teammates, players, the people around Boston College, my city, this school, everything around. I could have transferred, I could have taken the easy way out and done something that maybe in the moment is the sexy thing to do, but I wanted to stay and be able to win at Boston College”
On learning from Lions’ deep OL room:
2024-04-29T12:35:37Z dg43tfdfdgfd“We have one of the best offensive line rooms in the NFL. Me just being a sponge and learning from those guys—Penei Sewell, (Graham) Glasgow, (Taylor) Decker, (Kevin) Zeitler— it’s going to be special for me (for) where I’m at in my career just to learn and be a sponge and take everything in.”