Branch for sure. I wouldn’t have been happy with Hooker at 18 but some had him mocked late 1st so it wouldn’t have been shocking.
If we’re going by the “consensus” which is mostly bs anyway (look at mock drafts or big boards 4-5 years ago and have a good laugh), Branch and Hooker were good value, LaPorta about in range and Gibbs and Campbell being the reaches, Martin too.
Lets be honest, if we said before the draft that the Lions would have taken Gibbs (even in a trade down) and Campbell in the 1st, 90% of this board would have been in an uproar based on common hivemind thought while the Branch and Hooker picks would have been considered steals.
With that said, most pre-draft mocks and their perceived value charts are basically worth the toilet paper we wipe our asses with.
If someone spent the draft weekend in an AR cave-hotel and popped out Monday and first thing they heard was “Hey in the first three rounds they got (in no order) Branch, Gibbs, Campbell, LaPorta, some DT named Broadway and Hooker”, most would have been like, “Good deal. Love Holmes. Go Team. Is it September yet?”
Now granted there are always exceptions based on personal preference. Maybe you liked AR over Hooker. Maybe you liked Van Ness over Campbell. Maybe you liked Mayer over LaPorta. Maybe you liked Bijan over Gibbs. If that’s the case maybe you wouldn’t say that, so I hope my point isn’t lost there.
“Positional value” is one of the biggest sham buzz-words in the history of the NFL.
No I would agree with you 100%. I said I “feel like” but the reality was that Holmes who is clearly knowing what he is doing was in charge and had a better plan. But regardless my plan would have been leaving the draft with like 3 players…LOL. So the depth of the Lions draft and overall quality was greatly enhanced by walking away from Carter.
And I am just emotionally attached to him. My mind says he clearly is not a player we want on our team attitude or effort wise.
You can be happy with our haul and still call bullshit on the idea that we would’ve been happy to take any of our second and third rounders at pick number 18
That’s total bullshit
It’s not either or …. you can like our draft and still admit that you would’ve been pissed if we took any of our second and third rounders at pick a number 18
I completely understand that. My point was just perception. If the Lions had gone Hooker, Branch, Gibbs, Campbell, LaPorta, and Martin, the would have been media darlings.
I doubt it because the “positional importance” hounds would have still panned it. A RB, off ball LB, TE and Safety with the first 4 picks is blasphemous in certain sectors of the scouting universe.
Once again, this is not what I would’ve done. I personally was skeptical about Hooker in round 2. A lot of people in the media were talking about Hooker as a 1st rounder. I saw talk as early as Seattle and a few people were convinced Minnesotta wanted to trade up for him.
If Hooker was taken in the teens, most people in the media wouldn’t have batted an eye.
I personally would’ve taken JSN at 12 and Nolan Smith at 18. Then I would have taken Branch and Benton in round 2. In round 3 I would have grabbed Darnell Washington and Adetomiwa Adebawore.
JSN
Nolan Smith
Branch
Benton
Washington
Adebawore
Assuming we picked where we eventually ended up, those would have been my selections at the time of the draft. Now that the draft is over, I’m happy with who we got.
I love your take thank you for sharing. Respect when guys stick to their guns.
At 12 with Skoronski off the board, and me pounding the table not to take a CB…I would’ve deferred to Brad. I would expect him to say Nolan Smith. When he says Jahmyr Gibbs I dump my pants and say please don’t be Jahvid Best all over again.
At 18 I would’ve expected Kancey, when they say Jack Campbell I say ok good if the intel says he won’t be there in the 20s and we can’t trade up.
Round 2
Laporta vs Mayer
Branch vs Quan Marrtin
That’ll be how it’s judged.
Round 3
I was big on trading down from 55 to recoup picks. I would’ve liked Tucker Kraft if we didn’t go TE or WR from Tennessee but seems they had their eye on Green later. The obvious Hooker connection was expected as our target.
Day 3
Stay put and take
*4- NT Brodric Martin or Cam Young
5-*Darius Rush CB. Use out 7th to move up 2 picks
Instead of Soradsdal…I was hoping for Oluwatimi OL, Chase Brown /Deuce Vaughn RB, Jaelyn Duncan OT, McFadden OL, Hampton Edge, Antonio Johnson S
Late 5* take the WR Green or trade down and take him.
Or if other WR are rated higher , Boutte Perry Hutchinson.
That’s how I woulda played it.
Hindsight I wonder how far Stetson would’ve fell if we didn’t take Hooker and Rams did.
when guys stick to their guns.