We spent all that time wondering what Brad Holmes and the Lions would do in the draft. We could have just listened to Aqib Talib in December.
The former All-Pro corner who does color commentary for the NFL on FOX was on the call for Lions-Cardinals in Week 15 last season. As the Lions were finishing off an upset, Talib gazed into the future and plotted the team's path to contention in the NFC North.
And he nailed how the Lions would use their two first-round picks in April.
After praising Detroit's offensive line, Talib said, "You take that first-round pick and bring in Aidan Hutchinson, he’ll give you a great rush. You got Amani (Oruwariye) and Jeff Okudah on the outside, two good corners who can play man. Trade up a little bit, get the receiver you want in the draft. If it’s me, I’m taking the guy out of Alabama, give me Williams out of Alabama. Jared Goff is showing he can be a guy next year, man, so I think if you add those parts, the Lions are not too far away from competing with Green Bay in the North. I’m telling you."
Four months later, the Lions drafted Hutchinson No. 2 overall. Then they traded up from No. 32 to No. 12 to draft Jameson Williams. And if Talib had kept going, he would've told us they were drafting DL Joshua Paschal in the second round, S Kerby Joseph in the third round and eventually CB Chase Lucas in the seventh round.
And then he would've told us what Holmes is having for dinner tonight.
(You can catch the audio here, at the 1:58:00 mark.)