Brad Holmes was already establishing himself as one of the better GMs before the 2023 NFL Draft. Free agency and roster construction has been nearly perfect for the Detroit Lions under Holmes to bring them to this point.

That then brings us to the controversial 2023 draft. Yes, it is absolutely far too early to judge these picks before they ever see the field, but the general consensus from the majority of the media and analysts is Holmes went against the group consensus with most of his picks, especially early.

It is one thing to like a player more than other general managers and to snag them early, but Holmes' goals went beyond that with picks at positions that most other teams avoid in similar situations.

Again, it is more than fair to take a patient approach to evaluating these picks. It is going to take time before anyone can say how these picks panned out or helped the Lions in what should be a deep playoff run, and it is also fair to say that this draft could be a defining moment for Holmes during his time with the Lions.

Going so far against the grain has huge boom or bust potential. If players like Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell come in, start from the first day, dominate, and play a larger role at getting this team to the playoffs than other players at the same positions on other teams, Holmes is going to look like a genius.

On the other hand, if Gibbs and Campbell take time to develop and the Lions miss out on the playoffs due to a lack of talent at more pressing, valuable positions, a lot of people will question the picks and their reasoning when they go in the face of so much conventional thought.

For now, it is safe to trust Holmes and look at his whole body of work with this Lions team, but the pressure is on for a team that absolutely has to win in the upcoming season.