How Lions Have Fared With 29th Overall Pick

How the Lions have managed holding the 29th overall pick in years past.

Oct 2, 1994; Tampa, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Detroit Lions linebacker Chris Spielman. / RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Lions are in uncharted territory for general manager Brad Holmes.

Since Holmes took over in 2021, their first pick in the Draft has never been outside the top-10. Though the team has had two first-round picks in each of the last two years, they still have not made a pick later than No. 18 overall.

Now, after the team made a run to the NFC Championship game, the organization will enter Draft night with the No. 29 overall pick. Should they hold onto the pick, it will be the latest Lions' first-round selection since selecting Laken Tomlinson 28th overall in 2015.

The Lions have picked 29th overall just twice in their team's history. Here's a look at how each of the team's selections in this spot fared throughout their career.

Garry James

James was selected by the Lions in the 1986 Draft out of LSU, where he rushed for a total of over 2,200 yards in four seasons. However, he did not have nearly the same impact at the professional ranks.

At the time, the Lions were looking to replace Billy Sims. The Oklahoma product had played his final season in 1984, so James could've been looked at to be his replacement.

He would play just three seasons in the NFL, all in Detroit. His rookie year was promising, as he rushed for 688 yards on 159 carries. However, he missed half of his second campaign and wound up running for just 270 yards in eight games.

James' third and final season,1988 saw him tally 552 yards and five touchdowns. The following year, the Lions drafted Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders.

Chris Spielman

The Lions' 1988 No. 29 overall pick turned out much better. Taken out of Ohio State, Spielman wound up being a franchise mainstay.

He'd spend his first eight NFL seasons with the Lions, all of which he'd tally over 100 tackles. Spielman finished his rookie campaign with 153 tackles and was second in the Associated Press Rookie of The Year voting.

Spielman was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and a one-time All-Pro as the team's defensive anchor. His best season came in 1994, when he posted 195 tackles.

He played his final two seasons with the Buffalo Bills, the last of which coming in 1997. He's back with the Lions' organization, serving as a special assistant to the owner and CEO of the franchise. Spielman has had a big impact on the Lions' recent resurgence.

Best picks at 29th overall

Here is a collection of the NFL's best 29th overall picks:

QB Fran Tarkenton -- 1961 (Hall of Fame)

LB Dave Wilcox -- 1964 (Hall of Fame)

C Nick Mangold -- 2006 (Seven Pro Bowls, two-time First-Team All-Pro)

S Harrison Smith -- 2012 (Six Pro Bowls, one-time First-Team All-Pro)

WR Cordarrelle Patterson -- 2013 (Four Pro Bowls, four-time First-Team All-Pro)