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Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes did not expect to pick an Alabama player in each of the past three NFL drafts. And he certainly didn’t expect for cornerback Terrion Arnold to be his choice in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday night.
With the Lions scheduled to make their first selection at No. 29, Holmes figured Arnold would be long gone.
“We had a pretty significant line between him and the next guy,” Holmes said about Detroit’s cornerback grades.
But with a record 23 offensive players among the 32 first-round picks on Thursday night, Holmes saw Arnold being pushed far past where he thought the Crimson Tide defensive back would be selected. And he went into action.
Holmes sent the 29th and 73rd selection in this year’s draft to the Dallas Cowboys for the 24th choice and a seventh-round pick in next year’s draft.
After moving up five spots, Holmes tabbed Arnold.
“We’re thrilled with how tonight went,” Holmes said. “All these drafts, you never know how it’s going to go. We knew it was an offensive-heavy draft. That’s what we did know. But we didn’t quite know that those defenders would get pushed to that point, especially a guy like Terrion. But we couldn’t be more ecstatic or thrilled how it went.”
It’s the third year in a row that Holmes has traded up to pick an Alabama player. In 2022, the Lions drafted Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams at No. 12. In 2023, Detroit drafted Tide running back Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12.
“I would have never thought it would have worked out with the continuous Bama to Bama to Bama,” Holmes said, “but I’m not surprised either because we know how we want to build our football team, and those guys have been a stalwart powerhouse in the top college football conference for a very long time. …
“Again, it gives you a little bit higher level of comfort.”
Detroit also picked Alabama defensive back Brian Branch in the second round last year.
“I have so much respect for (coach) Nick (Saban) and everything that he’s done with that program,” Holmes said. “Those are one of those places where when I was a young Southeast scout, you go to Alabama, you just want to camp out there for a week, just because not only do they have really good players, but you knew the level of player that you were getting, you saw the type of practices they were having and the information access, but ultimately the coaching they were already receiving. Those guys practice hard, they practice intense.
“And so, I think I said it last year, not only about Alabama but we got the two kids from Iowa last year, and it’s a lot of other schools that I can say that about — you got Michigan right down the road — but when you pull kids out of those programs, you pretty much have a good feel. Not all are exactly the same as a person, but you kind of know what they’ve already been through, and you definitely know what kind of coaching they’ve already had. And you’ve seen them at the highest level, and there’s really not a whole lot more to see.”
Arnold was the last of the three selections from Alabama on the first night of the 2024 draft. The Los Angeles Chargers close offensive tackle J.C. Latham at No. 7, and the Minnesota Vikings picked linebacker Dallas Turner at No. 17.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
