Evaluations and grades for each Detroit Lions pick in 2023 NFL Draft

With the 2023 NFL Draft officially in the rearview mirror for the Detroit Lions, here are some instant reactions and grades to every pick.

Another NFL draft is in the books. As the Detroit Lions continue to ascend as an organization, this was another important draft to support the developing core as the team attempts to rise to the tier of a true playoff team.

The list of needs was not necessarily that extensive. The importance of this draft was in continuing to add talent and depth, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. However, there were still some holes that needed to be plugged on both sides of the ball.

So how did general manager Brad Holmes and the Lions fare in the 2023 NFL Draft? Here is a recap and grades for every pick.

Grading each pick for the Detroit Lions in the 2023 NFL Draft

Round 1, Pick No. 12: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama

After trading from the sixth overall pick down to 12, the Lions started the draft with an absolute shocker. Very few even dared to suggest Bijan Robinson could be a Lion at pick 18, let alone Gibbs at 12. This pick came out of absolutely nowhere and left most of the NFL world speechless.

There are two parts of this selection. The player himself, and the context of the pick. Starting with Gibbs, he is an electric weapon and a big play threat who can turn any touch into a home run. Whether it is as a runner or a receiver out of the backfield, Gibbs is going to be the lightning to David Montgomery’s thunder in the Lions’ backfield.

Then there’s the other side of this pick. The value of taking a running back in the first round, let alone at No. 12, raises questions. The pick signaled the end of D’Andre Swift’s time in Detroit and now puts Detroit in a precarious position. Either you are likely not giving enough touches to the runner you just gave $18M to, or you’re not giving enough touches to the 12th overall pick. The talent and potential of Gibbs is not up for discussion, but he has to become an elite back in the league for this pick to reach its maximum value.

Grade: C-

Round 1, Pick 18: Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa

Detroit continued to throw the positional value chart in the trash by selecting an off-ball linebacker with the 18th overall pick. Just six picks after the Gibbs selection, the NFL world officially was confused by the Lions’ draft plan.

As for Campbell, he was pretty clearly among the top linebacker prospects, with Detroit obviously viewing him as the top option. He is rangy, good in coverage, and instinctive, but above all else, he is very athletic.

To start off Campbell will likely serve as the primary backup to Alex Anzalone, and will earn more snaps as his rookie season progresses. The hope is by his sophomore season he is firmly established as the starting MIKE linebacker for the Lions going forward.

Like Gibbs, the issue with this pick has nothing to do with the player, just the value of the position. Campbell should be a good player, but he will have to become a great one for this pick to reach its value.

Grade: C+

Round 2 pick 34: Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa

Detroit added the 34th pick in the trade down from six to 12 with the Arizona Cardinals. With that selection, they went back to the Iowa well, not just in this draft but at the tight end position. Just months after trading Iowa alumni T.J. Hockenson away, they take his replacement from the same school.

Continuing a theme of Brad Holmes’ drafts, LaPorta is very athletic. He profiles as a very good pass catcher who can threaten defenses after the catch. He is also not a bad blocker, though he has room to grow in that area. Another reason this regime liked him was his character, LaPorta is a former captain (like his Iowa teammate Jack Campbell) that will fit in well from a cultural standpoint.

Some people will be upset that LaPorta was the pick over other options such as Michael Mayer and Darnell Washington. However, the Lions believe they are getting an elite pass-catching option that can develop into a very well-rounded option. Considering the Lions’ current depth chart at the position, LaPorta very well could be the starting tight end out of camp.

Grade: B

Round 2, Pick 45: Brian Branch, CB/S, Alabama 

Sitting with the 48th pick, Holmes and company were watching their board, and watching Brian Branch fall. As he got closer and closer to them, the Detroit Lions simply could not wait any longer and jumped up three spots to snag Branch at No. 45.

This is pretty easily the best pick the Lions made in the draft. Branch is an elite player who fits everything they want out of someone in the nickel/safety hybrid role. While not the fastest, Branch plays with an intensity against the run and in coverage that makes him frustrating for opposing players to play against. He also very well could have the best instincts of any defensive player in the draft.

Branch likely starts out in a smaller role due to the presence of C.J. Gardner-Johnson on the roster. However, Branch should serve as the starting nickel for the next several years after spending his rookie year learning from one of the best in the league at the position.

Grade: A+

Round 3, Pick 68: Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee 

For months Holmes has talked about the need for a quarterback behind Jared Goff. He never specified whether he would acquire one through free agency or the draft. In the end, after trading down twice from the back of the second round to slide into the start of the third round, Detroit took Hooker 68th overall.

A much older prospect, Hooker is already 25 years old and will be 30 by the time his rookie contract ends. There is also some injury risk, as Hooker is coming off a torn ACL and will probably not be ready for the start of the season.

Hooker has the arm talent and mobility to be effective at the NFL level. Combined with his experience in college, he should be able to transition relatively smoothly. Obviously, there is no intention for him to start games in 2023. But if something were to happen to Jared Goff, Hooker is a better option than Nate Sudfeld. A high-floor backup that has the potential to develop into the starter is not a bad choice. Especially considering the Lions didn’t use a premium pick, meaning they aren’t locked into Hooker as a starter if he doesn’t work out. This is a pretty tidy pick from Holmes to solidify the quarterback room.

Grade: B

Round 3, Pick 96: Brodric Martin, DT, Western Kentucky

To close out the second day of the draft, the Lions aggressively moved up, packaging three picks to select Brodric Martin. While it appeared to be a reach to some, the move made sense for Detroit, who needed help on the interior defensive line.

Martin is a huge hulking nose tackle who can eat up blocks and contribute significantly against the run. However, there is much to be desired from him as a pass rusher. He is a similar archetype to Isaiah Buggs, and will serve as his backup this season.

You can never have enough run defenders. And if Buggs had gone down the Lions did not exactly have a backup plan in place. Now they do, ensuring they have another run-stuffing nose tackle to plug the middle of the line.

Grade: B-

Round 5, Pick 152: Colby Sorsdal, OT, William & Mary

Picking up the action on the final day of the draft, Detroit opted to target a developmental offensive line prospect in Sorsdal. Given the fact he went to William & Mary in the FCS, not many people knew much about him. The ones that did know of him raved about him.

Detroit heavily utilizes formations with six offensive linemen, so it is possible Sorsdal will compete with Matt Nelson for playing time right away as the extra tackle. If not, he should be a developmental tackle that could possibly kick inside to guard down the road.

The Lions needed a guy like this at some point in the draft. Someone that can sit and learn behind some of the veteran linemen and possibly start later in his career. Not a sexy pick, but a solid and necessary one for offensive line depth.

Grade: B+

Round 7, Pick 219: Antoine Green, WR, North Carolina

Receiver instantly shot up on the needs list with the recent suspensions of Jameson Williams and Quintez Cephus, with Cephus being released as a result. Detroit needed to address the position, if for no other reason than to add depth.

In the seventh round, Green is big enough to play the “X role” and fast enough to be an effective deep threat. He will need to earn his spot on the final 53-man roster, but he has the athletic tools to turn into something in the future.

At the very least, Green is a Cephus replacement. At best, he could develop into a reliable backup receiver. Neither of those is a bad thing. Holmes ended up making another solid pick, even if it isn’t necessarily the flashiest pick ever made.

Grade: B

All in all this draft looks to be one of solid moves that make the Detroit Lions better, despite not necessarily being one that will give them one of the highest-graded classes in the league by many. But Holmes went his own way, and time will tell if it works out.