Getty Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown shared which draft class he thinks is general manager Brad Holmes' best.
It’s hard to envision the 2023 draft class being any better for the Detroit Lions. General manager Brad Holmes landed two offensive playmakers, Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta, who combined for more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage as rookies. Holmes also selected two defenders, Jack Campbell and Brian Branch, who had 12 tackles for loss and 3 interceptions together.
But Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown still doesn’t think that is Holmes’ best draft class as Detroit general manager.
“I’ve definitely gotta go with our draft class,” St. Brown told reporters on January 25. “I might be a little biased, but, me, Penei [Sewell], Alim [McNeill], Derrick Barnes, game-winning pick last game.
“Levi [Onwuzurike], ‘Iffy’ (Ifeatu Melifonwu) ballin’.
“We’ve got guys in our class, granted, there’s definitely guys in the other classes, too. But, I’m gonna be biased and say mine [is the best].
“But, shoot, he’s put together a great group the last three years. It’s a testament to his hard work and everyone up there. But, definitely gotta go with my class.”
The class St. Brown was referring to was 2021, which was Holmes’ first in Detroit. All seven of the team’s selection in that class are still in the organization.
Six of those seven selections (the ones St. Brown mentioned) will dress in the NFC championship game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Amon-Ra St. Brown Highlights Lions’ 2021 Draft Class
St. Brown alone is enough to make any draft class a good one. The 24-year-old already has 315 catches, 3,588 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns in three NFL seasons.
Each of the past two years, St. Brown has posted at least 100 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns. He set new career highs in all three categories on his way to first-team All-Pro in 2023.
But in addition to St. Brown, the Lions landed four other players in the 2021 draft set to start in the upcoming NFC championship game. They also selected another All-Pro.
During the first round at No. 7 overall in 2021, the Lions picked offensive tackle Penei Sewell. Among all offensive linemen who played more than 10 offensive snaps, Sewell finished with the best overall Pro Football Focus player grade in 2023.
Sewell has started every game since joining the Lions except one. He’s a major reason why Detroit featured one of the best offensive lines in the NFL during 2023.
Defensive starters Alim McNeill, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Derrick Barnes were also part of Detroit’s 2021 draft class.
McNeill posted 5 sacks in 2023. Melifonwu had 2 interceptions in the last three regular season games and then had 1.5 sacks versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC divisional round.
As St. Brown explained, Brown had the interception that sealed Detroit’s victory against Tampa Bay.
Brad Holmes Draft Record As Lions GM
The 2021 draft class may very well be Holmes’ best, but the Lions aren’t in the NFC championship because of one draft class. Holmes has strung together three straight strong classes.
Gibbs, Campbell, LaPorta and Branch all became impactful players and filled holes for the Lions as rookies. Second-year players Aidan Hutchinson and Jameson Williams have continued to develop as well.
Holmes and the Lions grabbed Hutchinson and Williams in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. Both could be cornerstones in Detroit for years to come.
The Lions also found another defensive starter in safety Kerby Joseph in the third round of 2022.
Clearly, the draft has been Detroit’s recipe for building a winner, and Holmes has been a major driving force behind that.