Brad Holmes' first NFL Draft as general manager for the Detroit Lions in 2021 might go down as the best all-time in team history.

The Lions re-signed the third member of that star-studded class Wednesday, agreeing to terms on a four-year extension with defensive lineman Alim McNeill.

A third-round pick out of North Carolina State in 2021, McNeill is the sixth key member of the Lions to sign an extension in the past six months and the third from that 2021 draft class that also includes tackle Penei Sewell (first found) and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (fourth). Quarterback Jared Goff, tackle Taylor Decker and running back David Montgomery have also signed extensions this year.

McNeill, 24, said this offseason he hoped to re-sign with Detroit because it's where he wanted to be long-term, and now his new deal puts him among the game's highest paid interior defensive linemen.

"I'm so glad it got done," McNeill said Wednesday. "I'm so glad I can be here. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a weight off my shoulders, for sure. I'm just extremely thankful. I appreciate the organization and everyone that was in that decision."

With defensive end Aidan Hutchinson out for the foreseeable future, the Lions are going to need more performances like the one they got from McNeill last week when he had two sacks and seven total pressures.

"He's one of those guys we're going to lean on," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said this week. "He doesn't have to be Superman, but we've got to get that out of him every week, and he's got that ability. Played a heck of a game (Sunday)."

Also part of that 2021 draft class is defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike, a second-round pick who is starting to reach his potential this season after battling a back injury early in his career. Safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (third) had a breakout season last year but is currently on IR. Linebacker Derrick Barnes (fourth) has been a huge part of Detroit's defense before suffering a knee injury in Arizona Week 3.

Holmes believes in drafting well, developing players and re-signing their own, and McNeill is now another one in that line of home-grown talent that's become the core of this Detroit Lions football team.

"You come in here and do what you're supposed to do and do your job to your fullest extent, they show that loyalty and that love to their guys," McNeill said of all the recent re-signings done by the Lions over the last year.

"You just come here and do what you need to do to the fullest extent, and some, and you'll get what you need."

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Fresh off a three-takeaway game in Detroit's win over Dallas last week, Lions second-year safety Brian Branch has been named NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

Branch also chipped in six tackles and a quarterback hit against the Cowboys and is the first safety in NFL history to have nine pass defenses and three interceptions through the first four games of a season.

SONIC & KNUCKLES

Thunder & lightning. Peanut butter & jelly. Detroit Lions running back tandem of Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs have had a couple nicknames floated around for them.

Officially they want to be known as Sonic & Knuckles, the popular video game duo, according to assistant head coach and running backs coach Scottie Montgomery.

"David is a huge fan of cartoons," Scottie Montgomery said Wednesday. "The speed and kind of the brashness of Knuckles – and of course I know about them because I have children. Sonic and Knuckles I think works well and they love it so I'm going to run with it."

They are the first running back duo in NFL history to each produce 70 scrimmage yards in each of the first five games of a season. They both have accumulated more than 400 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns this season.

NEW ADDITION

The Lions officially placed Hutchinson and defensive tackle Kyle Peko on injured reserve this week after both suffered serious injuries in Dallas.

Detroit used one of those roster spots to acquire veteran edge rusher Isaiah Thomas off Cincinnati's practice squad.

Campbell said Thomas is a player Holmes did a lot of homework on and liked in the pre-draft process in 2022. Holmes and his pro personnel staff keep track of players around the league on roster bubbles and practice squads, and Thomas was a player they liked.

"We liked him, we're glad he's here, and there again, he brings in more competition," Campbell said. "We get somebody else to look at, he's part of the mix, and the more competition you bring in, the better you find out and those guys kind of go after it a little bit. It doesn't mean we're done, it just means that's where we're at."

Thomas, 25, measures in at 6-foot-5, 270 pounds and played collegiately at Oklahoma before becoming a seventh-round pick in the 2022 draft by the Cleveland Browns. He had one sack and nine tackles in 10 games as a rookie. He's spent the last year and a half on the Browns' and Bengals' practice squads.

EXTRA POINT

Under head coach Kevin O'Connell, the Vikings are 22-0 when they break even or win the turnover battle. The Vikings lead the NFL with 11 interceptions and their 13 total takeaways are tied for second most in the NFL.