Right before the
Detroit Lions
grabbed
Ohio State’s defensive tackle, Tyleik Williams
With the No. 28 overall selection in the 2025 NFL draft, Brad Holmes’ phone began to ring.
Several groups wanted to make trades for his spot. Holmes considered their offers and found one particularly appealing, involving a drop in the first round. He went so far as to call this specific proposal “tempting.” However, ultimately, he declined every option and decided to stay put.
“He mentioned that it simply didn’t seem good.”
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As he viewed it, the board was “becoming less crowded for our benefit.”
You simply have to strive for making the most conscientious choice possible,” he stated. “So we gave it some serious consideration.
In the past, Holmes
has not been afraid to pull the trigger on deals in the top region of the draft
. In 2022, he
moved up to snatch receiver Jameson Williams with the 12
th
overall selection
. A year later, he
traded back to that very same slot before taking running back Jahmyr Gibbs
. Last April, he reached an agreement with the
Dallas Cowboys
This move enabled the Lions to advance five positions up the draft board and select cornerbacksTerrion Arnold at pick number 24.
th
overall choice
.
The aquatic setting on Thursday appeared conducive for Holmes to exchange picks once more. After the draft commenced, four deals were struck, with two occurring just prior to it.
Lions
were scheduled to appear on the clock, as the
Atlanta Falcons
and the
New York Giants
Each found their path back to the initial round following an earlier selection.
The unexpected surge in activity made Holmes uneasy as the Falcons were in dire need of reinforcement at defensive tackle.
There was some apprehension,” Holmes stated. “Her breathing became somewhat uneven at one point.
However, the Atlanta Falcons chose Tennessee edge rusher James Pearson Jr. as their No. 26 overall pick, immediately following the selection made by the New York Giants.
Ole Miss
Quarterback Jaxson Dart ranked at No. 25.
Not long thereafter, Holmes got his guy.
“We’re thrilled with how it panned out,” Holmes said.
So is Williams.
“I’m just happy,” he said.
Contact Rainer Sabin at
[email protected]
. Follow him
@RainerSabin
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Lions passed on ‘enticing’ trade proposal before taking DT Tyleik Williams
