Discussion: What lesson did you learn from the Lions 2023 Draft?

Not to go too dramatic, but there’s no denying that the Detroit Lions have a great 2023 NFL Draft class. Although there was a lot of strong resistance from throughout the country, the season’s conclusion left little room for disagreement. The initial takeaways were mixed.

Rather, when we shift our attention to the 2024 edition, it is beneficial to reflect on the past and consider the lessons we may use. Brad Holmes has a few more good draft classes under his belt, but given how quickly the league may change, we’ll concentrate on last year’s class as the most current examples we have.

The question for today is:

What insight did the Lions 2023 Draft provide you?
My response: It is evident from the shouting narrative that positional value is not what it seems to be. Not that it should be disregarded entirely, but Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell were both identified as legitimate “reaches” who would never be able to live up to their first-round picks. I believe this way of thinking should be at least questioned in light of their outstanding Year 1 achievements.

In a similar vein, I’ve learned that choosing to go with the win-now option is a legitimate strategy for the draft. While there is a place and a time for taking a risk on injured players like Jameson Williams or development possibilities, Holmes did a fantastic job of selecting individuals who he could start right away. Perhaps This may seem like a straightforward statement given that the Lions will now choose toward the end of the first round, but I’m willing to wager that Holmes will always put the present first no matter where he is selected in the future.