'Scary' scenario led Lions GM Brad Holmes to consider Round 1 swap

At one point during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday, April 23, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes started to get a bit nervous. During a span of four selections, three offensive tackles flew off the board. The Cleveland Browns , holding the No.

9 pick following a trade down with the Kansas City Chiefs, snatched Utah’s Spencer Fano. The New York Giants , next on the clock, took Francis Mauigoa out of Miami (Florida). Two picks later, the Miami Dolphins (after trading down themselves) grabbed Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor.

Holmes began to worry he might lose not only the opportunity to acquire a bookend blocker of his own, but, most importantly, the one he preferred: Clemson’s Blake Miller . As it turned out, the Lions stayed put and ended up getting Miller at No. 17 – but not before Holmes was forced to sweat a bit.

“It was just a little scary,” Holmes said late Thursday. AN EYE ON DAY 2: 12 players to watch on Friday As the anxiety started to bubble, he began to consider a trade that would allow the Lions to move up a few slots to get Miller and avoid another team leaping past the Lions to swipe him. After all, Holmes knew that the widespread perception from the outside was that the Lions were in the market for a long-term solution at tackle following the release of perennial starter Taylor Decker in March.