Two different NFL draft broadcasts: ESPN & ABC
Apparently the ESPN and ABC broadcasts of the NFL draft will have a different focus. The ESPN broadcast will focus on the NFL team and how the player fits/fills a need. The ABC broadcast will feature College Game Day (not sure if the whole crew will be there) and focus more on the player and his journey to the draft.
Pretty cool idea, IMO. I'll probably tune in to ABC to check it out.
April 27th, 2023 at 10:50 PM ^
They could both be Probowlers and it would still be a poorly managed draft because they could've been acquired with fewer resources. The NFL draft isn't about getting the best players. It's about optimizing your resources. Brad Holmes didn't.
April 28th, 2023 at 11:44 AM ^
The Lions board didn't look like the mocks. They went with what they come up with and Gibbs and Campbell were high up on their board. Honestly, only time will tell.
April 27th, 2023 at 10:50 PM ^
Never saw Gibbs play but that film he does look better than Kamara coming out of college .
Lb drew sanders much higher rated but the took Campbell who many here revered Campbell.
April 27th, 2023 at 11:17 PM ^
I went grocery shopping. I'm glad I missed it.
April 27th, 2023 at 11:17 PM ^
The Lions aren't a very smart organization. Good teams just don't draft guys like Gibbs that high. Too little impact on the overall success of the team even if they're good players. It's the sign of a team that falls in love with tape but has no sense of strategic thinking.
If you put your faith in these Lions, and I know some folks on this forum have, you're in for a rough ride.
April 27th, 2023 at 11:19 PM ^
Mazi with the OMG SHIRTLESS shot.
April 27th, 2023 at 11:19 PM ^
Mazi to the Cowboys. 1st rounder.
April 27th, 2023 at 11:19 PM ^
Mazi in the 1st round!
I hate that it's the Cowboys, as a Giants fan, but assume that he made it to the 1st round.
April 27th, 2023 at 11:20 PM ^
The streak of first rounders continues!
April 27th, 2023 at 11:25 PM ^
Those bastard Eagles are going to draft Nolan Smith I know it. God I hate them so much.
April 27th, 2023 at 11:39 PM ^
The rich get massively richer
April 27th, 2023 at 11:45 PM ^
God I hate the fucking Eagles.
April 27th, 2023 at 11:49 PM ^
Eagles getting Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith with #9 and #30 is why they're good and the Lions suck.
April 27th, 2023 at 11:52 PM ^
Came here to say this. Imagine those two guys next to Aiden Hutchinson. They’d have an elite D-line. You wouldn’t even need defensive backs.
April 28th, 2023 at 10:17 AM ^
PFF agrees. They list Jack Campbell as one of their biggest winners along with the Philedelphia Eagles. Then then note that the Lions are their biggest loser. Lions could have gotten Carter and Smith with their picks and still picked up Campbell and Gibbs in the second round.
Lions GM should be fired.
April 28th, 2023 at 11:00 AM ^
Fire Holmes! Fire Campbell! FIRE BAKICH!
Holmes said no way Gibbs lasts until second round, they didn’t even think he’d be there at 18. Where do you guys get your “expert” information, and why do you just present it as if it’s a fact, it’s just your opinion
April 27th, 2023 at 11:51 PM ^
And Hutch continues to get double teams like crazy this upcoming season.
I think Gibbs will be a great weapon, but if either Carter or Wilson pan out it’s going to be a tough pill to swallow knowing the defense needs a lot more help than the offense.
April 27th, 2023 at 11:53 PM ^
Possible that Mayer falls to the Lions at 34? Chiefs are obviously set at TE, Steelers have Freiermuth, and Cardinals have Ertz and McBride.
The arguments for Gibbs and Campbell are that there is a huge dropped off to RB3 and ILB2, but I just don't know the scheme fit for Campbell.
Like everyone else, I'm really skeptical of these Lions picks. But if we could somehow get Porter/Branch/Ringo, Mayer/Musgrave/Washington, and Mingo/Hyatt in some combination in round 2...it's possible that they had a good read on positional scarcity. And maybe trade Swift for another pick.
April 27th, 2023 at 11:57 PM ^
100% expecting this now.
Lions have major holes on D and 3 picks inside the top 34 and walk away with Jack Campbell.
April 28th, 2023 at 12:44 AM ^
Jack Campbell is a great player.
They signed two CBs and added a top shelf DB in CJG. Their major hole on defense is DT. Campbell fits the scheme. Just don’t know why they re-signed Analzone for three years.
He's a great COLLEGE player at Iowa. He doesn't have the speed (re: athleticism) to be a great NFL LB in the Lions 2-LB system. Remember what Corum did to him in the BTC game when they were isolated together at the LoS? Corum was considered a 3-6 round draft pick. What do you think the average starting NFL RB is going to do to Campbell in the open field? What do you think the average NFL slot receiver is going to do to Campbell in the open field? He may be a steady LB, but he won't stand out and he'll be a liability against the better offensive teams. He was a stretched-out reach at #18.
Why was he so good in college, you ask? Because he played in Iowa's generations old defense - a scheme that hasn't change in 157 years, since Hayden Fry began using it. He knew everything about that defense, and so did everyone else on the field with him. He's a good player, and he'll be a steady LB. But you don't look for 'steady' at #18.
JFC. They just should have taken another TE inside the top 10.
April 28th, 2023 at 12:14 PM ^
He ran a 4.65 forty, I think that's kinda fast. I think your stuck on 'Iowa LB'. Remember, Iowa had one of the best defense in the nation and he was a big reason for it.
Campbell had great combine testing results but that athleticism doesnt show up on the field. Basically every scouting report of him notes his stiffness & lack of fluidity. It was definitely a major shock when he put up the testing numbers he did -- as they're elite. But it doesnt show on film.
April 28th, 2023 at 10:00 AM ^
Campbell is a great college player. He's basically a younger Anzalone without the flowing locks. They could've got him at 34, perhaps even 48.
April 28th, 2023 at 12:00 AM ^
It would be funny if they took Levis.
April 28th, 2023 at 10:00 AM ^
I'd be shocked if the Rams don't take Levis.
I could sort of buy the positional scarcity thing, but that’s one of those things that is impossible to know, even for the Lions. Lot of guys ranked in the top 20 didn’t get drafted last night.
Remember when Mark Spindler was supposed to go in the early first round and the Lions got him in the 3rd round? (I’m retro actively happy about that since his kid didn’t go to Michigan.)
April 28th, 2023 at 12:01 AM ^
Always pays to grab a local kid at a position of need. KC has done that in 2 of the past 3 drafts with KState edge this year and Mizzou LB Nick Bolton in 21. Love it, go Chiefs!
April 28th, 2023 at 12:03 AM ^
I don't know if the Lions' picks are going to be viewed historically as good or bad but I absolutely know that nobody is going to know one way or the other tonight.
Gibbs was sneakily the only consistent offensive threat on that Alabama team this year and Bryce Young going #1 was helped immensely by Gibbs giving him an outlet as a receiver as well as a good back. Campbell is a good linebacker and the Lions have so many issues on defense that a guy who was a huge reason Iowa's defense elite this year isn't a bad pickup. I know people will argue you could have gotten them later in the draft but nobody actually knows that for certain - nobody expected the Texans to take both Stroud and Anderson in consecutive picks and I'm not sold they're demonstrably better for it long term because of it. If you like a guy and think he'll make you better I think you make that move and not worry about the potential impact 4-5 years down the line when there's a good chance staff/front office shakeups have happened and you've made a bunch of roster changes anyway.
April 28th, 2023 at 12:19 AM ^
Spot on bronx. Who knows, but there's no denying IMO Gibbs talent translating well to todays NFL. I see the best safety in Branch and Tuli as DE/DL still sitting there for the taking. My takeaway, is Holmes & Campbell are already good with what they have & now building for sustainability.
April 28th, 2023 at 12:46 AM ^
Plus they have three second picks with plenty of talent left for the Lions to choose from.
I think people are forgetting that they did sign some good DBs before the draft.
Yeah, I think especially once Witherspoon was taken at 5 there wasn't some transcendent corner. Detroit could still get Joey Porter Jr. or DJ Turner at the top of the 2nd and have as good a corner as guys like Gonzalez or Banks, the other two corners taken in the first.
Let’s hope for Keanu Benton the DT from Wisconsin is available.
April 28th, 2023 at 10:02 AM ^
He's got to be the pick at 34 now. DT is the biggest hole on the roster.
April 28th, 2023 at 10:28 AM ^
If Pittsburgh takes Benton ahead of Detroit, they should wait until 55 and take Ika from Baylor. The kid is seriously underrated. He demands double teams because of his size and if paired with Detroit’s young DEs and Campbell, their run defense and pass rush will be really good. Just my opinion.
It is hilarious to read all the pundits' takes on the Lions draft. PFF gives them the only two "below average" grades in the first round. Pretty much everyone hates the picks.
I love that Brad Holmes just does not give a **** about any of that. He took players that he and Dan Campbell decided they wanted. Who knows if either will be any good? Nobody. But given their record of evaluation I'm inclined to cut them a whole heck of a lot of slack until we see the actual results on the field. And they've got all sorts of picks remaining.
I am but a simple man. Lions D needs lots of work - even after FA signings. But simply, the Lions could’ve had what the Eagles got. And arguably, the Lions helped the best team in the NFC getter even better defensively.
April 28th, 2023 at 10:04 AM ^
Carter was never a consideration. They definitely panicked after Seattle took Witherspoon. But Nolan Smith at 18 would've made si much more sense than He ack Campbell.
SOL.
SMH.
April 28th, 2023 at 10:40 AM ^
Philly was the best possible destination for Carter. Older veterans to mentor the kid, familiarity with several players there already, and a really good team culture where he can mature both on and off the field. Carter would have failed at most other teams. Philadelphia has the luxury of taking someone like that, given who is in their locker room already.
April 28th, 2023 at 12:25 PM ^
Also Philly fans don't put up with shit; he'll be scared straight lol.
April 28th, 2023 at 10:09 AM ^
Lions loved Gibbs and took him at 12 because the Patriots were going to take him at 14.
April 28th, 2023 at 11:37 AM ^
NFL Channel also has coverage that streams for free through Channel Plus/IPTV for LG (or Vizio?) Smart-TV's (Ch. 445), through the XUMO Play App, or the website.