The Detroit Lions have been one of the best teams in the league at drafting and developing talent. General manager Brad Holmes has put himself near the top of the list in that department.
Few teams can rival the sheer amount of draft hits that Holmes has, and fans are hoping the deep talent pool will turn into deep playoff runs and Super Bowls. His "best player available" approach has allowed the team to spend cautiously and strike opportunistically with few big-name trades and free-agent additions. So far, it's been a winning formula—27-7 over the past two seasons.
But don't just take my word for it, here are 10 of his best draft selections since taking over as GM in 2021:
That list is absolutely bonkers. Any GM would kill for four or five of those guys, and that's just a quick head pull of a subjective top 10. There are plenty more high-caliber players left off the list. The crazy part is that three of these players—Branch, Arnold, and Gibbs—all played together before they reunited in the Motor City.
If that seems unfair, it's because it definitely is. And if one were to reminisce about the NFL's best college-turned-pro-teammates, that trio would certainly be on the list. Fortunately, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports did exactly that, and what do you know? That trio comes in at No. 7 on his list.
Lions unapologetically utilize Alabama ties to build terrifying roster
Benjamin's analysis is simple. Branch and Arnold are already staples of the defense with room to grow, and Gibbs is already one of the league's dynamic playmakers:
"These three former Crimson Tide stars overlapped in 2022, just after fellow Lions weapon Jameson Williams also left Alabama, and currently serve as confident cornerstones of an NFC heavyweight," Benjamin wrote. "Gibbs may already be one of the most dynamic ball carriers in football, and both Arnold and Branch still have room to grow as headliners of the Lions secondary."
That trio is a nightmare for opposing NFL teams now. The fact they shared the field together in college borders on disrespectful. Unfortunately, that '22 Bama team didn't have the success perennial National Championship head coach Nick Saban would have wanted, but an 11-2 record with a Sugar Bowl win over Kansas State is nothing to scoff at.
Much like their college run, these young Lions have yet to bring home the hardware. After an impressive 15-2 season last year, this team will look to bring healthier tidings in 2025, to gear up for that ever-elusive Super Bowl title. And with another strong Holmes-picked draft class coming in, Detroit is one of the short-list favorites to hoist the Lombardi.
If they do, don’t be surprised if it’s that same trio of Crimson Tide stars leading the charge. Because in Detroit, the road to the Super Bowl might just run straight through Tuscaloosa.
