Mock drafts are flying around, with projections including those on PFSN’s Draft HQ tying the Detroit Lions to specific positional needs in the 2026 NFL Draft, now just a week away.
Offensive tackle, edge rusher, and depth in the trenches appear to be the most common needs across the board. However, general manager Brad Holmes indicated during his pre-draft news conference that those projections may not matter as much as they seem.
Brad Holmes to Stick With Best Player Available Philosophy at NFL Draft
Holmes is expected to stick to his long-held philosophy of selecting the best player available rather than forcing picks to fill roster needs.
This comes as the Lions enter a pivotal draft following a disappointing 2025 season in which they struggled on defense. On the contrary, they were an offensive powerhouse, ranking 8th in the PFSN’s NFL Offense Impact Metric, with an impact score of 80.5.
Holmes expanded on why drafting for need can create long-term problems, particularly when it forces teams to pass on players they are fully convinced about.
“I actually think sometimes you can get in trouble by doing that because you might start to reach for a certain player because you feel like you need that position, and you never want to feel that way when you select a player,” Holmes said.
Holmes doesn’t want to live with regret after drafting for need if the pick fails, when early evaluations had already raised concerns about a player’s projections at the NFL level. He added that passing on players a team truly believes in, while relying too heavily on depth charts, can lead to costly mistakes.
“You passed up a really good player that you liked even more, but there is a question mark on your roster, so you just go ahead and get that player that you weren’t as excited about,” Holmes added. “I know for me it’s hard to sleep at night when you do that, when you don’t get the player that you really, really wanted because you reach for a need.”
“If that reach, you already reached for it, so you already reached for a player that you weren’t as fired up about, but it fits a certain position, what if the player shows or demonstrates the reason you weren’t as fired up about him?” Holmes continued
“So now you’ve reached for the guy, and now the guy’s not even performing up to standards, the same reason why you had reservations about him,” Holmes added. “Now you’re really in trouble. That’s why I think you have to be careful.
Holmes’ Approach Based on Mistakes From Previous Teams
Holmes’ approach appears to be shaped by lessons from the teams he worked with before joining the Lions, particularly during his nearly seven years as director of college scouting with the Los Angeles Rams from 2013 to 2020.
In that role, Holmes was heavily involved in player evaluation and overall scouting strategy, even though he didn’t have the final say.
In the final three drafts Holmes was part of in Los Angeles (2018–2020), the Rams made 28 selections, but only seven players remained on the roster as of 2023, including Joe Noteboom, Brian Allen, Cam Akers, Van Jefferson, Brycen Hopkins, Jordan Fuller, and Tremayne Anchrum.
Holmes has looked to avoid that issue in Detroit and by sticking to his philosophy, where first-round picks like Penei Sewell, Aidan Hutchinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs have emerged as elite contributors, while Jameson Williams has developed into a key offensive weapon.
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In 2026, the Lions addressed both sides of the trenches in free agency, signing offensive tackle Larry Borom and defensive end DJ Wonnum to one-year deals, putting them in a solid position before the draft.
Detroit has nine picks at the NFL Draft, including pick No. 17 and No. 50 in the first two rounds. If Holmes sticks to his philosophy, the Lions should trust their board and target the best player available to position themselves one step closer to Super Bowl contention.
