Detroit vs. Everybody: NFL World Rips Lions' Day 1 Picks
Unfortunately, the reviews are in for Day 1 of the NFL Draft, and critics have largely panned the picks made by Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes.
Many pundits were left scratching their heads regarding why the team decided to target a running back and a linebacker with their first two selections.
Many were reminded of how teams used to draft nearly two decades ago.
In recent times, teams have taken a more analytical approach, and have factored positional value into their decision-making, especially in the early rounds of the draft.
Here is a sample of the reaction online to the picks made on Day 1 by the Lions.
Sports Illustrated (Gilberto Manzano and Matt Verderame)
On Gibbs: “The Lions delivered a head-scratching pick with the addition of Gibbs, who’s an electric running back, but not the complete package compared to what Robinson gives the Falcons. Gibbs lacks size, and perhaps the Lions could have gotten him in the second round. Gibbs now joins David Montgomery and D’Andre Swift in a crowded backfield.” Pick grade: C-
On Campbell: “The Lions turned back the clock by using their two first-round picks on an inside linebacker and a running back. Campbell was the first off-ball linebacker drafted. He has the size, athleticism and solid instincts to develop into a top playmaker in the middle of the Lions’ defense. Campbell had more than 128 total tackles the past two seasons at Iowa.” Pick grade: B-
NFL.com (Chad Reuter)
Grade: C-
“The Lions traded down from No. 6 to No. 12, grabbing an early second-round pick from the Cardinals in the deal, and surprised by picking Gibbs. He is a talented dual-threat performer with good open-field speed and agility. I viewed him as a late first- or early second-round value. Campbell can be a productive leader for the Lions but, again, he was picked earlier than I expected (I had him as a second-round value). It will be interesting to see how Campbell fares compared with the off-ball linebackers that are picked on Day 2.”
USA Today (Nate Davis)
“Gibbs at No. 12? Iowa LB Jack Campbell at 18? Feels like both were major overdrafts – and even if you were worried about Gibbs going later in the round, like, do the Jets a solid and trade down to 15th? But the running back, in particular, was an especially bizarre choice given the presence of recently signed veteran David Montgomery and D'Andre Swift, a 2020 second-rounder (though, in fairness, he is entering the final year of his rookie deal and has missed 10 games in three seasons).”
CBS Sports (Will Brinson)
"Detroit landed two first picks and yet, it's hard to feel completely enamored with what happened. The Lions traded back from No. 6 as fast as possible after the Seahawks took Devon Witherspoon at No. 5. The Lions could have taken Bijan Robinson there but decided to go back to No. 12 and take Jahmyr Gibbs. Gibbs is great! But why not just go Bijan at No. 6? The Lions followed it up by taking Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell at No. 18. Both guys fit the Lions team mentality and it's a blue collar pull for Detroit but it doesn't feel like the massive upgrade we expected for Detroit going in. Caveat: Pete Prisco gave the Campbell pick an A+, so either I throw this in his face or sneak by since he doesn't know how to work the Internet and read this story."
ESPN (Mel Kiper Jr.)
“I thought I would like this Lions class when they traded down at No. 6. At that time, they owned pick Nos. 12, 18, 34, 48 and 55. But I just don't get these two choices.
Let's start with Gibbs, a multidimensional player who racked up receptions for the Crimson Tide. Look who else was on the board at 12, though. One of the cornerbacks – Christian Gonzalez or Emmanuel Forbes or Deonte Banks -- or edge rusher Nolan Smith made more sense to me. Yes, Detroit has a bunch more picks on Day 2, but it could have found a running back there instead of at No. 12.
As for Campbell, it's a reach of 40 spots in my rankings. He's my third-ranked inside linebacker. I thought he'd go in the middle of Round 2 instead. When we talk about positional value, both of these positions are not usually prioritized in the first round, so this is the very definition of head-scratching. The funny thing is I had pegged Campbell to Detroit at No. 48 in my two-round mock a couple of weeks ago. There were much better players available when Detroit took him.”
PFF (PFF Editorial Team)
On Gibbs: “Gibbs is the second-ranked running back on the PFF Big Board but he is also just the 34th-ranked prospect. Viewed as a potential late first-round pick, this is a big reach with the 12th overall pick. He can make an impact in the passing game, though, as he hauled in 103 passes for 1,215 receiving yards over the past three seasons.” Pick grade: Below Average
On Campbell: “Campbell is the top linebacker on the PFF Big Board but ranks just 39th overall. It’s not a good value pick, but he produced a 91.9 PFF grade, which led all linebackers. At 6-foot-5 and 249 pounds, he has impressive size and NFL-caliber range.” Pick grade: Below Average
The Ringer (Danny Kelly)
On Gibbs : “Well, this is certainly a surprise! Despite signing David Montgomery in free agency to pair with incumbent playmaker D’Andre Swift, the Lions add another running back. Gibbs brings rare juice as a runner and should help create explosive plays for Detroit, but I don’t love the value here—especially for an undersized runner who doesn’t project as a volume-heavy back. Gibbs will need to be a true difference-maker in the passing game to live up to this cost.” Pick grade: C+
On Campbell: "Campbell fills a need, but this feels like a big reach for the Lions, who grab my 73rd-ranked player at no. 18. The former Iowa standout racks up stats as a throw-back, downhill linebacker—but he’s stiff when moving in reverse and could be a liability in man-to-man coverage. Paired with the selection of running back Jahmyr Gibbs at no. 12, Detroit’s decision to draft two non-premium positions with their two first-round picks could come back to haunt them.” Pick grade: D
