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The 2025 NFL Draft is officially over, and Brad Holmes drafted ‘his way’ yet again, leaving some Lions fans confused. The Lions didn’t draft an edge player until the 6th round, which most fans would’ve agreed was the number one need this offseason. However, Brad disagrees, making it clear by signing zero and drafting just one, in a class most would’ve considered as relatively deep, even if it wasn’t very top heavy. He has said many times he believes that without the injuries, this team is playing for a championship in February. Personally, I’m not so sure, but we will get into that. Brad made a decent amount of trades this time around, too. Let’s talk about it.

THE DRAFT:

As I said before, Brad did things his way again this year, not caring about consensus value with any selection he made. We should be used to this by now, though, as Holmes has made that his MO. Brad doesn’t care about what you think, he cares about getting good football players that fit this team. This won’t just be me bowing at Brad’s feet for an entire article either, though, as I genuinely disagree with some of the things we did in this draft.

Pick 1.28: DL Tyleik Williams, OSU: The Lions started off their draft with the selection of Ohio State run stuffing defensive tackle Tyleik Williams. A lot of people were confused when it was announced, as most believed Williams would’ve been available later, with multiple edge players also available at the spot. However, reports have come out that the Bills would’ve taken him with the 30th pick, had he been there. Personally, I don’t love or hate the pick, but I like it and can understand it. I personally still believe edge was a bigger need, and that defensive tackle was very deep this year, so I personally would’ve taken an edge player in the 1st round. Brad disagrees with me wholeheartedly, though, as he has said many times. We shall see if it matters or not.

Player Breakdown: Williams is a very large man, standing at 6’3″ 334 lbs. He excels as a run plugging nose, but he can move around the defensive line. He has exceptional play strength, his punch and just overall strength is very good, as well as his ability to stay in the hole and clog the lanes. He does a good job beating double teams and has surprising get off for his size. He doesn’t have a ton of upside as a pass rusher, but he has shown the ability to get pressure at times. I personally think this is a bit high for what is essentially a run stopping nose tackle, but this is their DJ Reader replacement, so I get it. I see Williams basically as a Reader type, a very large man who does a good job at stopping the run, with a little bit of pass rushing ability. I personally believe we need more pass rushing talent in general, but Brad doesn’t. Williams will be a starter for us for the next 5 years, which I guess is solid for a late 1st round pick. Grade: B. I don’t love or hate the pick, but I get it. Williams is a good player, and the type Brad covets. He will also fit the locker room well.

Pick 2.57: IOL Tate Ratledge, UGA: The first trade of the night for Holmes came in the 2nd round, where he moved up 3 spots to select Ratledge, a physical interior lineman from Georgia. The trade was a bit lopsided in my opinion, Brad gave up pick 60 and 130 for pick 57 and 230. Essentially, he moved down 3 rounds to move up 4 spots in the 2nd round, giving up a 4th for a 7th, which is pretty rough. The trade calculator shows the Lions gave 372 points and received just 304.2, which is a clear loss of 68 points. Will it really matter in the grand scheme? Not really. As long as Ratledge is a damn good player, no one will care. I do consider this trade a ‘loss’ until we see more.

Player Breakdown: Ratledge was a three year starter for the Bulldogs at right guard, and is a physical, gritty, dominating run blocker. He is powerful, and does a good job of getting hands on defenders and driving them out of the play. He plays with good pad level, a good anchor, and good hips. He is instinctive and athletic as well, at 6’6″ 308lbs. He had a RAS of 9.96, meaning he is among the elite athletes on the offensive line. He has some issues, namely his punch timing and versatility. His timing can be off at times, causing him to lean and be forced into recovery mode. He lacks versatility as well, having only played right guard in his college career. He also fits Detroit well, with his gritty style of play and personality type. He was a standout in workouts, as well as interviews, and he clearly fits well in this organization. Grade: B. I do like the player and pick more than I like our first round pick, but the trade up takes it down a bit. Ratledge is almost a perfect fit here, on and off the field. It would’ve been a B+ if not for the loss on the trade. But again, it wont matter if he’s our starting right guard for the next decade.

Pick 3.70: WR Isaac Teslaa, ARK: Brad traded up again, this time to select the big bodied wide receiver out of Arkansas. This trade might be even worse than the first one though, Brad gave up pick 102 and two 2026 third round picks for pick 70, 182, and 2 2026 6th rounders. According to the calculator, the Lions lost this trade 278 to 382, a difference of 104 points. Obviously, not a great deal for the Lions here. However, Teslaa is a solid player, so I don’t hate the pick, but the trade is pretty tough. The difference with this move and the Ratledge move is I see Ratledge as a long term answer and solution. Teslaa… we will see. He is very raw, so it’s not likely he produces right away. Giving up that much for a receiver who likely won’t play most snaps is… something. I thought Teslaa would’ve been great in the 4th round, but we essentially used three third round picks on him.

Players Breakdown: At 6’4″ 214 lbs Teslaa offers a big bodied athletic receiver with solid hands and has the height/weight/speed you look for from an X receiver. He ran a 4.43, had a vertical of 39.5″ and 4.05 shuttle, the latter being first among wide receivers. He also ranked top 10 in every single testing category, with a RAS of 9.93, proving he is truly an elite athlete. As I said before, I like the player, just not the value given. However, it really wont matter in the grand scheme if Teslaa is a very good player, which he could be. He has sure hands, is a physical and willing blocker, and can really go up and get it. Teslaa does have his negatives, though. He is very raw in general and needs a lot of work on his routes. He is also a little older as a prospect, coming off of 5 seasons in college. His development will likely take some time, so I do not expect him to take over Tim Patrick’s role next season. Teslaa has a ton of upside, though, and could become the X of the future for the Lions. Grade: C. Like I said before, I do like the player, but the value given was just way too much for a developmental wide receiver. Do you think we couldn’t have gotten a developmental receiver with either of our third round picks next season? I think we could. The value, mixed with the likelihood Teslaa will take some time to develop, leaves me with just an ‘ok’ grade on the pick.

Pick 5.171: IOL Miles Frazier, LSU: This was one of my favorite picks of the night for Holmes. We did have to trade up again here, but the value was a lot more even than prior moves. Brad gave up pick 182 and 228, to move up 11 spots to pick 171, the trade chart shows the Lions winning this one 24 to 21.2. Frazier was quite a bit higher on most peoples boards as well, making it even better.

Player Breakdown: Frazier is a wide bodied, thick framed, lengthy interior lineman at 6’6″ 324lbs. He has good play strength as well as good timing out of his stance and good punch. He is a versatile player as well, having played every position other than center in his time at LSU. He is a solid athlete, not a stand-out, but he gets the job done. He really excels in double teams, where he can get the most out of his mass and leverage. He is a solid pass protector as well, showing a solid anchor and timing. He is a below average mover, but makes up for that in size and experience. He may never be a star, but he will provide a steady backup at worst. I could see him taking over a guard spot as early as next year, but it’s more likely he is the long-term solution. Grade: B+. I really like this pick, the value of the trade and the value of the selection are there. Frazier was seen as a 3rd round pick to most, and we got him in the 5th. Frazier likely won’t be a starter year one, unless we cut Glasgow, which is possible. But he provides much needed depth and a possible long-term solution. As I said before, this is one of my favorite picks on the night, for value alone.

Pick 6.196: DE Ahmed Hassanein, BSU: Finally, Brad got us an edge player, with just the second pick we made that was not involved in a trade. Most of us thought the Lions would go edge much sooner in the draft, most thinking it would happen with the 28th pick. Hassanein has been a very productive player for the Broncos, and became the first ever Egyptian player to be drafted. This was one of my favorite picks in the draft for the Lions, as they got a solid player with decent potential who has been productive in college despite being very raw.

Player Breakdown: Hassanein was a very productive player in his time at Boise State, racking up 101 tackles, 32.0 Tackles for loss, and 22.0 sacks over just the last two seasons. He has just 5 years of football under his belt, making him a very raw, but intriguing prospect. He is a solid athlete, but not quite elite, having run a 4.77 40 yard dash with a 32.5″ vertical at 6’2″ 267lbs. He was also in the top-5 for bench press with 27 reps. He is a bulky built edge rusher who relies on his motor and toughness. He has played just 5 years of football, so his instincts, technique, and overall recognition need work. He is a passionate, give-it-your-all type of player, and does it on every snap. He has good pop in his hands, feel for transitions, and does well at getting to and hitting the quarterback. He is very raw though, as mentioned earlier. He is a bit tight-hipped, too often attacks the blocker and not the play, lacks quality go-to pass rush moves, and doesn’t have great bend or body control. He also misses tackles too often. I personally really like the pick. I’m a fan of the player and I like the value we got him at. Grade: B+. As I said, he is very raw, but to get someone with his productivity and traits in the 6th round is a solid pick. He likely won’t be a huge difference maker next season, but at least he provides some solid depth.

Pick 7.230: S Dan Jackson, UGA: I really like this pick, as Jackson just feels like the type of player the Lions want. He has a good build at 6’0″ 196lbs and isn’t afraid to hit, showing his toughness in the way he plays downhill. He will likely be a special teamer for his first year or two, but he could potentially be a decent depth safety. It is a solid value pick, as most had him ranked around the 6th round.

Player Breakdown: Jackson is a good athlete, with a 4.46 40, 4.33 shuttle, 34″ vertical, and a 10’3″ broad jump. He is a physical downhill thumper who loves to attack the ball. He is also decent in coverage, showing solid hip fluidity. He is not great in man coverage, though, and lacks the size and strength to be an in-the-box only safety. He also has issues tackling due to his frame. Grade: C+. While I do like the pick, I’m not sure how much it really moves the needle. I don’t see Jackson taking over the Iffy role anytime soon, so realistically he will just be a special teamer, at least for the first few seasons.

Pick 7.244: WR Dominic Lovett, UGA: Brad seems to have flipped from an Alabama guy to a Georgia guy, drafting 3 players of Georgia, and none from Alabama. With his final selection, Brad decided to take another receiver, this time a smaller slot type. It was a solid value pick as well, as most had him as a 5th round pick.

Prospect Breakdown: Lovett is a smaller bodied slot type, at 5’10 185lbs. He is a solid athlete, running a 4.40 40, and has shown some RAC ability, whether that be catching a screen and turning it up or getting through contact after the catch. He is relatively shifty, showing the ability to make defenders miss in space. He is also a willing blocker. He does have inconsistent hands however, and struggles with physical defensive backs. Also, his contested catch ability is lacking. Overall, he is a solid slot receiver that has some play-making upside with the ball in his hands. Grade: B. For where he was selected, I think Lovett is going to outperform the selection. The Lions have needed good receiver depth for a while now, and it seems they may have found it with this draft.

SUMMARY:

Brad is going to do what Brad does, confusing the nation on draft night. He did it again this year, bypassing all consensus rankings to get his guys. I personally can’t say I agree with everything, but Brad has done more than enough to earn my trust. I understand the thought process, even if I don’t agree with it. My only concern at this point is what we will do at edge. I could see us cutting Glasgow, and using the money to sign someone like Za’Darius Smith, who has been in talks with the Lions on a new contract.

Overall, its a solid class that fits who we are. I don’t love the value we gave up in trades, but the talent is there for the class. It wasn’t a ‘sexy’ draft by any means, but I do feel the team got better for now, and the future. We will have to see how it plays out, but the Lions may have gotten a handful of future starters.

Grade: B. Like I said, overall it was a solid draft, so I go with a ‘solid’ grade.

At the end of the day, I trust in Brad Holmes.

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