Holmes: 'Pretty Fortunate' to Have Michigan in Lions' Backyard

Brad Holmes trusts in University of Michigan football pipeline.

Pre-NFL Draft preparations are well underway for Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes. 

He and his scouting department are in Indianapolis this week for the NFL's annual scouting combine. While in Indy, Holmes and the Lions will get an up-close look at the 321 draft-eligible prospects that were invited to participate in this year's combine. 

Of that extensive list of amateur players, a combine-record 18 hail from the reigning national champion Michigan Wolverines, the program right down the road from Detroit in Ann Arbor, Mich. 

The impressive list of Michigan players includes several top-100 draft prospects, including quarterback J.J. McCarthy, defensive lineman Kris Jenkins, wide receiver Roman Wilson, offensive lineman Zak Zinter and cornerback Mike Sainristil. 

The lengthy list of Wolverines products competing in the combine also includes running back Blake Corum. Corum, the offensive MVP of the College Football Playoff national championship game, amassed a University of Michigan record 58 career rushing touchdowns. 

Holmes is well aware of this past season's CFP national champions and the type of program they've built.

“They just have a longstanding tradition and history of producing really good football players, and that’s a credit to the coaches that they’ve had and the type of players that they get,” Holmes told reporters during his NFL combine media session Tuesday. “Obviously, it’s right down the road, so we get a lot of good exposure to those players. But, you know, when a lot of those guys come out, you kind of have a sense of what you’re getting and you know, you do your due diligence on all of them. I’m not saying they’re all the same. But, they’ve done a really good job, and I’d say we’re pretty fortunate to be right down the road from a program just like that.” 

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During the Holmes-Dan Campbell era (which began in 2021), the Lions have benefited greatly from one former Wolverines player, in particular: EDGE Aidan Hutchinson. 

Hutchinson, also a Dearborn (Mich.) Divine Child High School product, has taken the league by storm since being drafted by Detroit with the No. 2 overall pick in 2022. In short order, he's become one of the game's very best pass-rushers, and has the numbers to show for it (most notably, 21 career sacks). 

“It’s a little bit of an advantage, just because you know you can get guys there that might not count against your (top) 30 (visits) count,” Holmes continued, reflecting on the advantage of having U-M in the Lions’ backyard. “So, you can just bring guys in and if you want to work them out, you can work them out. If you really want to spend time with them, get to know them a little bit better, you can do that. Just as a lot of other teams can do with other colleges, big-time programs that they’re close to.”

Here's the entire list of former Michigan players who are expected to participate in this week's combine:

• AJ Barner, TE
• Karsen Barnhart, OL
• Michael Barrett, LB
• Junior Colson, LB
• Blake Corum, RB
• Jaylen Harrell, EDGE
• LaDarius Henderson, OL
• Kris Jenkins, DL
• Cornelius Johnson, WR
• Trente Jones, OL
• Trevor Keegan, OL
• J.J. McCarthy, QB
• Braiden McGregor, EDGE
• Drake Nugent, OL
• Mike Sainristil, DB
• Josh Wallace, DB
• Roman Wilson, WR
• Zak Zinter, OL