Brad Holmes Regrets Not Drafting Puka Nacua

The Detroit Lions' 2023 draft class featured four straight starters selected by general manager Brad Holmes.

However, the team has several picks in the mid-to-late rounds that have yet to pan out. Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch have all had instant impacts, but the likes of Hendon Hooker, Brodric Martin, Colby Sorsdal and Antoine Green haven't yielded the same flash.

In that same class, the Los Angeles Rams found a fifth-round steal in wide receiver Puka Nacua. Drafted 177th overall by Holmes' former team, he has burst onto the scene for the Rams with 2,476 yards and nine touchdowns in his first two NFL seasons.

As a rookie, Nacua hauled in 105 passes for 1,486 yards and three touchdowns. Last season, injuries limited him to 11 games but he still managed to notch 990 receiving yards and three scores.

The Lions, who had a need for depth at wide receiver in that draft, selected Green in the seventh round. Green was unable to stick in Detroit, as he suffered an injury in the preseason opener last year and was waived with an injury designation as a result.

When asked by ESPN's Kevin Clark for one scouting report he wished he could have back, Holmes chose Nacua.

"The one that I've spoken about most recently is Puka Nacua," Holmes said on the 'This Is Football' podcast. "Ask my personnel staff, that's one I've brought up, like, 'Man, it is what it is.' If you don't recognize those things, if you don't self-assess yourself constantly, you can't grow and you can't get better. Everyone wants to preach humility and be humble and all that, you have to be honest to be humble. You've got to be honest if you miss out on something, something you could've done a little bit better."