The Detroit Lions have enjoyed a major turnaround in recent years, and the reasoning for this has been widespread, from the coaching staff to the front office.
An overlooked reason the Lions have come off the mat so quickly has been their ability to add talented players throughout the NFL draft. Finding players outside the first day of the draft is an underrated way that teams can take a fast leap.
Brad Holmes has proven to be a menace at finding underrated talents in his career whether in free agency or the draft, and two of those players recently cracked an intriguing Pro Football Focus list designed to rank the most valuable non-first-round picks since 2016.
Bradley Locker included wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown on the list at No. 8 overall, and lauded his ability to become a superstar in spite of going on day three of the draft in 2021.
"Since St. Brown was a fourth-round pick by the Lions five years ago, all he’s done is hit the ground running. Throughout his career, St. Brown trails only Nacua in PFF receiving grade (93.5), and his 358 first downs lead the league. It’s no surprise that the USC alum is also second in WAR behind just Ja’Marr Chase."
"St. Brown is indubitably one of the faces’ behind the Lions’ dramatic turnaround over the last half-decade. The three-time All-Pro looks like he has no intentions of slowing down given the tear he’s on, continuing to repeatedly make teams regret passing him."
St. Brown is the only home-grown Detroit player on the list, but one of the Lions' recent free agency additions shows up as well. Cornerback D.J. Reed ranked 20th on the list, and has enjoyed a gritty, productive start to his career even before his time in the Motor City.
"Although Reed wasn’t taken until the 142nd pick in 2018, he grades as the 10th-best cornerback since 2019 among qualifiers. Reed had size (5-foot-9), team consistency and draft pick working against him, but that didn’t prevent him from notching at least a 70.0 PFF coverage grade in six straight seasons from 2019-24."
"Reed will look to bounce back in his second year with the Lions after producing a career-low 65.2 overall mark on only 583 snaps. Yet Reed has gone from a fifth-round pick to a reliable, playmaking corner responsible for over $52 million in career earnings thus far — which is way more than projected for his slot."
Even though St. Brown and Reed are the only two Lions on this list, other underrated talents have impressed in Detroit. Linebacker Derrick Barnes is a starter and fourth-round pick in 2021. The Lions also are depending on guard Christian Mahogany, who was a sixth-round pick in 2024, and will look for a rebound from linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, a 2022 sixth-round stud.
Right now, St. Brown and Reed are the only two Lions seen to be over-performing their draft position on the roster nationally. That narrative could change in a hurry starting very soon.
Lions' 2026 draft offers hopeful return to a once successful blueprint
While it's true that Holmes has impressed with his ability to find undervalued players and turn them into key contributors, that philosophy has hit the skids a bit recently. Not since 2024 have the Lions seen a viable starter come from the mid to late rounds of the draft.
Getting back to finding underrated talents has been a key talking point, and in 2026, the Lions have more than a few players capable of flipping the script and becoming the next underrated superstars in Detroit.
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Cornerback Keith Abney II was drafted in the fifth-round, and has been seen by many as a potential lock to make waves this coming season. Linebacker Jimmy Rolder is also a talent that should see the field, and wideout Kendrick Law could be a special teams menace. If either Skyler Gill-Howard or Tyre West provide anything, it will be a huge draft win for the class.
Detroit's 2026 class could help Holmes rediscover his mojo with regard to a key roster building tactic. If the Lions are to rebound on the field and score more wins, this could be an important reason that is the case.
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