Detroit Lions Not Locked Into No. 7 Pick in 2021 NFL Draft

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes conducted his pre-draft media session

With the upcoming NFL Draft looming just around the corner, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes is under a certain amount of pressure to get the selection correct in the first round. 

For Detroit's newest front office leader, he is "surrendering" to the process and taking an "all things considered" approach to his first draft with the organization.

"You definitely surrender the results of the process and just through all the hard work and having a very thorough, diligent process and being about as thorough as you can be," Holmes said. "It can maybe feel exhaustive, but the importance of it kind of alleviates that a little bit. I would definitely say Les (Snead) always kind of taught me, in terms of surrendering the results of the process." 

Detroit Lions

With such an important and valuable position that the Lions find themselves in, Holmes did not tip his hand regarding what Detroit's plans are with the No. 7 pick, instead expressing the organization's willingness to trade up or down and to select one of a number of talented players who fit the mold of the franchise.  

"It's very exciting to be looking at this crop of players that would be worthy of of selecting. Obviously, where I just came from, not really used to picking in the first round that much," Holmes explained. "At seven, we do have a cluster of players that we're comfortable with picking. At the same time, we will be very prepared and also willing to move in either direction. We're still open in those regards. But, there are a cluster of players that we would be comfortable with." 

Draft room on the night of the NFL Draft

Per a recent NFL memo, up to 20 individuals could be allowed into an organization's draft room. 

For Holmes and his staff, no more than 10 individuals will be allowed inside the room on draft night. 

"I remember, I've been in the draft rooms where it was a packed house in there, and I've been in the draft room where it was kind of more thinned out. That was pre- pandemic, where it was just less people in the room," he said. "I think there's pluses and minuses to both. When there's more people in the room, you might have a little bit of quicker access if you need more intel or you need to ask them questions quicker. It might make the process a little bit more efficient. But, I've also seen it the other side, where you may be able to manage some things a little bit better when it's more of a thinned out room. But, we will have no more than 10 people in our draft room."

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