The 2021 NFL draft weekend was the first true sense of the long-term team vision we got from new Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes. Free agency filled holes, the Matthew Stafford/Jared Goff trade officially converted the retool to a rebuild, but the draft is the first real proving ground for what Holmes and his assistants want the direction of the Detroit Lions to be in his tenure.
The draft class, headlined by No. 7 overall pick Penei Sewell, offers some evidence and insight on Holmes’ vision for his Lions. Here are a few things we can deduce from the draft weekend for Detroit.