3 reasons for Holmes to continue doing what he's doing.
Lions GM Brad Holmes made three trades in the 2025 NFL Draft, moving up all three times to select players that he thought best fit the culture of the Detroit Lions.
Whether it was trading a couple of picks in this year's draft to move up a few spots and draft Tate Ratledge or trading multiple future picks to jump up to take Isaac TeSlaa or a late trade to get Miles Frazier, Holmes moved up a ton in this draft.
Holmes has made seven trades on draft night in the past two seasons, all seven of them moving up in the draft.
Although we sometimes disagree with the hauls that the Lions give up in exchange for moving up in the draft, Holmes has a great track record, and it's hard to doubt him.
Holmes has made some of his best picks in the draft after trading up
Brian Branch
Notably, one of the best draft selections in the Holmes-Campbell era, Brian Branch, was a player that the Lions traded up to select.
Branch, originally projected as a first-round pick, was still on the board during day two of the NFL draft, when the Lions traded up to make a run at him. Holmes traded picks No. 48 and No. 159 for pick No. 45 to select Branch.
Branch has gone on to be the biggest steal of the 2023 draft finishing fifth in defensive rookie of the year voting in 2023 and making his first Pro Bowl in 2024. The Packers would go on to select WR Dontayvion Wicks with No. 159, and trade away No.48.
Holmes did not want the Lions to miss out on drafting the stud Alabama safety, so he moved up a couple of spots to guarantee that he would be coming to Detroit, and the rest is history.
Jameson Williams
In his second draft as GM of the Detroit Lions, Holmes made a splash trading up early in the first round.
After already taking Aidan Hutchinson with the No. 2 pick, Holmes wanted more and looked to trade his draft capital to move back up in the first. Holmes traded picks No. 32, No. 34, and No. 66 for No. 12 and No. 46, giving him the rights to take Jameson Williams at 12th overall.
Pick No. 32 ended up turning into Lewis Cine, who has played in seven total games since being drafted. No. 34 turned into Christian Watson, who has been a solid WR for Green Bay, but has never eclipsed 620 yards in a season. No. 66 turned into Brian Asamoah II, a linebacker with 30 total tackles since being drafted.
With No. 46, the Lions drafted Josh Paschal, who has struggled with injuries and health issues early in his career but has shown a ton of potential.
Without question, Jameson Williams is the best player in this trade. Williams, although missing time with injuries and suspensions in early seasons, went on to have 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024 on an insane 17.3 yards per catch.
Derrick Barnes
In a trade that is often forgotten, Holmes traded up in his very first NFL Draft to select Purdue linebacker Derrick Barnes in 2021.
This was Holmes' first-ever draft night trade, trading pick No. 153 and a 2022 fourth-round pick for the right to draft Barnes at No. 130 and pick No. 257. Pick No. 153 turned into Tony Fields II, who has spent his whole career with the Browns, never being too effective at the linebacker position.
The future fourth-round pick turned into running back Dameon Pierce, who had one dominant 900-yard year in Houston before failing to reach 500 yards in either of the following two seasons.
Barnes had a slow start with the Lions, but eventually ended up being the starting "Will" linebacker for Detroit's defense. In 2023, Barnes had career-highs in tackles at 81 and stuffs at 11.5.
In his most iconic moment, Barnes intercepted Baker Mayfield in the Divisional Round to seal an NFC Championship berth for the Lions. This interception and draft night trade will live in Detroit's history forever.
