The Detroit Lions executed a first-round trade in the 2024 NFL draft last week. Detroit GM Brad Holmes sent the No. 29 pick and a third-round selection (No. 73) to the Dallas Cowboys for No. 24 overall and a 2025 seventh-round pick.
That deal allowed the Lions to select Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold. The talented corner had fallen later in the first round than expected, and Holmes pounced.
However, one notable insider thinks the Lions might have been looking to move up for a different target had Arnold been unavailable. Albert Breer of SI said he believes Detroit was poised to deal up to select Missouri defensive lineman Darius Robinson:
Detroit had actually laid groundwork for a trade up—I believe Missouri DE Darius Robinson was the target—which made it easy to pivot and get aggressive in going up from No. 29 to No. 24 to land a falling Arnold.
It’s not a surprising conclusion for Breer to draw; the Lions were often connected with Robinson, a Detroit native and good schematic and character fit for the team.