DETROIT -- The 2023 NFL draft concluded in downtown Kansas City, Missouri on Saturday, capping off all 259 picks.
ESPN provides a pick-by-pick analysis of each of the Lions' selections, starting off with Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12 overall.
Analysis of every pick | Updated depth chart
Round 1, No. 12 overall: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
My take: Lions general manager Brad Holmes surprised many draft analysts by taking Gibbs at No. 12. After the Detroit defense finished near the bottom of the league for the second straight season, many projected the Lions to use both their first-round picks on defense. However, with their opening pick on Day 1, they beefed up their backfield instead, adding Gibbs to a running back room that already includes D'Andre Swift and David Montgomery.
Will he start as a rookie? It’s unlikely that Gibbs will start right away, but he could be used as a rotational player alongside Swift and Montgomery. In college, Gibbs rushed for more than 2,000 yards and had more than 1,200 receiving yards between his stints at Georgia Tech and Alabama. Detroit values his playmaking ability as a dual-threat back, so they’ll find a way to work him into the offense this season. “We had great conversations on how versatile I was,” Gibbs said after being drafted by the Lions. “On different ways they could use me. Different ways they could get me the ball.”
Is this pick for depth or does it fill a hole? Both. Staying healthy has been a major issue for Swift throughout his career, limiting him to just 16 starts in his first three seasons in Detroit. So, the Lions have added a player with similar dual-threat abilities to provide insurance in case Swift's body doesn’t hold up for a full season. Also, Gibbs can help in the passing game, which the Lions will need now that wide receiver Jameson Williams -- the Lions' first-round pick in 2022 -- is set to miss the first six games of 2023 season after being suspended for violating the NFL’s gambling policy.
Round 1, No. 18 overall: Jack Campbell, MLB, Iowa
My take: Campbell fills a defensive need on the roster. The Lions' run defense allowed 5.22 yards per carry last season, which was the third worst in the league. So, he’ll help address that issue. With Campbell, Detroit is bringing in a unanimous All-American and the 2022 Butkus Award winner (given to the nation’s top linebacker). The Lions like his size (6-foot-5, 249 pounds) and production, as he finished his career at Iowa with nearly 300 tackles, including 143 in 2021.
What we're hearing: “He is a Detroit guy. He is a Dan Campbell guy. He’s a culture fit immediately. He was a captain,” Lions linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard said after drafting Campbell on Thursday.
"First time looking at Jack, I've kind of seen these linebackers before -- he's big and he's a plugger. But actually, no, he's not," Holmes said. "The more you look at him, the more athletic his traits came out and became very, very visible and then you start looking at the athletic numbers that he's produced in terms of a lot of top-five athletic categories among all the linebackers in this year's draft."
Round 2, No. 34 overall: Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa
My take: Detroit adds another Iowa Hawkeye to fulfill a big need at tight end as LaPorta joins Campbell in the draft class. LaPorta is Iowa’s all-time leader in receptions for a tight end (153) and ranks second in receiving yards (1,786). The Lions used a committee approach at tight end last season, with Brock Wright, Shane Zylstra and James Mitchell filling the role after Detroit traded away T.J. Hockenson, another former Hawkeye, to the Minnesota Vikings. This move signifies LaPorta could emerge as the Lions' main threat going forward.
Will he start as a rookie? There’s a good chance because the position is up for grabs. The Lions didn’t have a clear-cut starter after trading Hockenson, but quarterback Jared Goff continued to trust his tight ends, which helped the group set a franchise record for most combined receiving touchdowns in a single season from tight ends in Lions history (12). LaPorta had 111 catches over his final two seasons at Iowa, which ranks third among FBS tight ends over that span. So, if he’s able to adjust to the NFL, he will get opportunities in the Lions' offense.
Round 2, No. 45 overall: Brian Branch S, Alabama
My take: Detroit traded up three spots to land their second Alabama product of the draft in Branch, who is expected to contribute immediately as part of a reworked secondary. The second-team All-American is a sure tackler, which was an issue for the Lions last season. Branch converted 98% of his tackle attempts in 2022, which ranked No. 1 among all FBS defensive backs. Detroit’s defense allowed 82 plays of 20-plus yards last season, which were the most in the NFL.
Ties to the team to know: Branch went to Sandy Creek HS in Georgia, the same as former Lions great Calvin Johnson. The Lions have now selected two players from Alabama (Gibbs and Branch) and two players from Iowa (Campbell and LaPorta) in the first two rounds. Branch, who played a hybrid safety/cornerback role at Alabama, could help solve the Lions’ issues at slot cornerback -- a position that allowed 10 touchdowns with zero interceptions as the nearest defender this past season, which was the most such touchdowns allowed by any team last season. Branch lined up in the slot for 539 of 737 defensive snaps at Alabama, which were the sixth-most snaps by any player in the Power 5. So, he has a ton of experience there.
Round 3, No. 68: Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
My take: Goff has proven to be the best fit for the starting quarterback role right now, but drafting Hooker is a move for the future. The Lions are taking a chance on the former Tennessee star, who is recovering from an ACL injury, but Hooker won’t have much pressure right away with Goff in the fold. In 11 games last season for the Volunteers, Hooker completed 69.6% of his passes for 3,135 yards, 27 touchdowns and two interceptions, while also rushing for 430 yards and five touchdowns.
Is this pick for depth or does it fill a hole? This pick is for depth. Lions general manager Brad Holmes said he’d add a third quarterback to the roster ahead of training camp and delivered on his word. Hooker isn’t expected to play right away but will help provide some security at the position -- along with backup Nate Sudfeld -- once he's healthy. Outside of Goff, punter Jack Fox was the only other player on the roster to complete a pass last season. Sudfeld did appear in two games but didn’t register any stats.
Round 3, No. 96: Brodric Martin, DT, Western Kentucky
My take: Martin is raw, but the Lions are excited about his upside. The 6-foot-5, 337-pound defensive tackle spent his first three seasons at North Alabama before finishing his career at Western Kentucky, where he racked up 31 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble as a redshirt senior. Although he wasn’t invited to the NFL Combine, he got on the Lions’ radar during the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl after a solid performance prompted Holmes to take a closer look.
What we're hearing about Martin: “It’s hard to find, big, athletic, big guys like that so he just has a lot of meat on the bone. He’s got a lot of upside," Holmes said after selecting Martin. "He’s a big man. He’s athletic. He plays hard. He chases to the ball. I mean, I don’t think I’ve seen many 330, 340-pound guys run to the ball like he does and so when you get that, he’s got some rawness, but we’re really excited about his upside. He’s another guy that when we brought him for a visit, he just kind of lit the room up with his personality and just his mindset. He’s a really good kid that has a pretty unique story.”
Round 5, No. 152: Colby Sorsdal, OT, William & Mary
My take: Detroit adds depth to its offensive line with a 6-foot-6, 301-pound tackle who had 46 career starts at William & Mary. Sorsdal, 23, is another under-the-radar prospect who played right tackle as a senior. He wasn’t invited to the NFL combine but participated in the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl. The Lions continue to invest in protection for Goff as Sorsdal didn’t allow any sacks this past season and is viewed as a strong run-blocker.
Round 7, No. 219: Antoine Green, WR, North Carolina
My take: The Lions add depth to a receiving corps that seemed well-rounded earlier this offseason before taking a hit with recent suspensions to 2022 first-round pick Jameson Williams and Stanley Berryhill, who both will miss six games for violating the NFL's gambling policy after an investigation by the league. Detroit also released wide receiver Quintez Cephus for betting on NFL games, so they’ve added a weapon with Green, who averaged 17.1 air yards per target last year, which was the fourth highest in the FBS and gives the Lions a deep vertical threat to stretch the field until Williams is cleared to return.
Round 7, No. 249 (from Chiefs)
* Compensatory selection