Lions' Brad Holmes Explains Day 2 Draft Decisions

The Detroit Lions made two picks on Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft.

The Detroit Lions' coaching staff and scouting department felt strongly in the choices made on Day 2. 

After making a splash on Day 1 by trading up for wideout Jameson Williams, the Lions continued to build their defense. 

General manager Brad Holmes explained to reporters after the completion of the third round that the picks made on Day 2 were universally accepted by key personnel decision-makers and the coaching staff. 

"I would say Josh (Paschal) and Kerby (Joseph) -- I’ve talked a lot about conviction and buy-in and having total, total building conviction, total building buy-in," Holmes explained. "Like every single person in the building is like, ‘I’m totally bought in on this dude.' That’s what both of these players were today. Just the love for both of them, all the coaching staffs and everybody."

Of the Lions' four selections in the 2022 NFL Draft, three of them have been on the defensive side of the ball. 

"Kerby was another guy that’s got a lot of high upside, still developmental, only been playing the position for about a year, but has been a high-level special teams player," Holmes said. "Good rise and elite ball skills, and can turn the football over. We’re very excited for both of them. They were targets that emerged as favorites throughout the process. We’re just really excited. It’s a great day today.”

Despite making small strides offensively late in the season, Detroit's defense struggled with injuries. It, however, did show flashes of what the coaching staff will expect in the next few seasons.

Holmes & Co. are banking on the experience of the coaching staff and the selecting of the correct players to continue the growth of Detroit's young defense. 

"The real exciting thing is our coaching staff and its ability to develop those guys at such a rapid rate last year, and the growth that those guys made from training camp to late in the season, gets you really excited about those guys stepping into the second year," Holmes said. "Then, these incoming rookies and then just keep building that foundation. Having the continuity with our coaching staff, with being able to have AG (Aaron Glenn) again and his current staff, that’s what really gets you excited. Dan (Campbell) and I have said from the start that we want to build through the draft. That’s what we’re going to continue to do. I think we’ve made some good strides last night and tonight, and hopefully, tomorrow is a good one, too.”