Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes concluded the 2025 NFL Draft with a class of seven players — a defensive tackle (Tyleik Williams), two guards (Tate Ratledge & Miles Frazier), one safety (Dan Jackson), one edge rusher (Ahmed Hassanein) and two wide receivers (Isaac TeSlaa & Dominic Lovett).
Holmes and his staff will now hit the phones and work on signing some undrafted free agents to fill the roster to the allowed 90 players in the offseason.
Holmes spoke to the media following the conclusion of the draft, and here are the key questions from that session:
Was it just a coincidence the Lions drafted three players from the University of Georgia?
Ratledge, Jackson and Lovett all played for the Bulldogs, and while Holmes said he didn't go into the draft with the plan to take all three, he certainly respects the program Kirby Smart has built and the way they develop their players.
"Have been to Georgia practices a lot, and have been around that program a lot, and it's unlike anything else that I've seen live in terms of a college practice, in terms of just the intensity – (former Alabama head coach Nick) Saban at Alabama was very similar," Holmes said.
"But just the intensity, the physicality, the detail, the tempo, the whole thing, the energy, I mean, it's just — so when you can go through that kind of regimen and you practice like that, that they're ready. But I think everything that Smart's done with that program, I think everything speaks for itself."
How much did Holmes put a value on special teams with some of these prospects, especially the Day 3 selections?
Holmes touted the special teams potential of Jackson and Lovett. Both were key special teams contributors for Georgia last season. Hassanein has some special teams potential as well.
"It's very important, it's very important," he said. "I think I may have made the joke in the past that, in the later round, (special teams coordinator Dave) Fipp could probably come in and just run the Draft.
"When the guy earns a role on teams and he's good enough to be a part of the depth, man, he's got a good opportunity to go to the game. If there's another player that's just maybe a little bit better route runner or maybe has a little bit better hands, but if he doesn't have the attitude or the skillset to contribute on special teams, you're talking about battling for a fifth spot, no, we're going with the guy that can contribute on special teams. So, that's why it's critically important."
What was it about Hassanein that really stood out to the Lions?
The Boise State edge rusher was the only FBS defensive lineman to have more than 15 tackles for loss in each of the last two seasons. He also chipped in 22.0 sacks and 115 total pressures.
"Incredible story by the way, but look, again, that's not why we acquired him, we acquired him because he plays with his hair on fire, and as, let's call it developmental, as he is, he just — he plays hard.
"We just liked the upside of him, we like his football character, his work ethic, his passion. He was so fired up on the phone to get here, that's the type of stuff you want to hear. He's going to do everything he can and he's going to try to make sure that he's going to maximize every single thing that he's got in his body."
Holmes said Hassanein still has some things to learn having only played football since 2019, but they are excited about his high ceiling.
"Similar to like how when we took (Giovanni Manu) Gio last year. It's just, those guys — or we took (Sione) Vaki that hadn't been playing running back that long, those kinds of things, it's — once you see enough of it and if they have the right makeup and football character and passion and work ethic and being coachable, they have a big upside. So, it's going to be cool to see how far he grows."
Will Holmes continue to look at opportunities to upgrade their pass rush post-draft?
"It's an ongoing, nonstop, relentless climb for just building a roster in general. It's not a position that's off limits, we're always trying to look to get better," he said.
"Sometimes you just — there's not better out there past maybe the current starters you have, maybe there's not better available versus the current depth you have. But yeah, we're always trying to look for better and I definitely would not be doing my job if I did not continually look at every single avenue, which we'll continue to do, for sure."
How much do the Lions plan to cross-train their two interior offensive line prospects at different positions?
Ratledge was almost exclusively a right guard at Georgia, but Frazier played left tackle at Florida International before transferring to LSU where he played left guard, right guard and right tackle and was the backup at left tackle.
"Hank (Fraley) is great in that he's going to cross-train them at everything, and if they've never done one position before, he's just going to throw them out there because he's an elite-level coach, so he's going to cross-train those guys," Holmes said.
Holmes said both players could get some reps at center too.
"He's going to put a ball between their legs and see if they can snap," he said. "But again, Hank's not going to put somebody in a tough position either, so he's going to be able to assess if they have the right makeup and mentality and communicative skills.
"That's a big part of just — it's not about just being able to snap, I mean, you have to have elite communication skills, not just as a starter, but even as a backup."
