The disappointment of failing to reach the postseason didn’t simply fade away in Detroit. Instead, it became motivation that shaped the atmosphere in the draft room for the Detroit Lions.

General manager Brad Holmes explained on Saturday that the team entered this year’s draft process with a stronger sense of determination. According to Holmes, the frustration from last season’s outcome pushed the organization to approach every decision with greater urgency.

Holmes said the entire offseason served as a constant reminder of how the previous year ended. The feeling of disappointment lingered so much that he even wrote it on the wall of his office, using it as motivation while he and his staff prepared for the draft with extra focus and energy.

“I approach every draft seriously,” Holmes said. “But when you fall short of the playoffs, it can be the push you need to refocus. It definitely raised the urgency in everything we did.”

When asked what he believed the team accomplished most during the draft, Holmes emphasized the type of players the Lions targeted.

“For us, it was about bringing in tough, competitive football players,” he said. “It’s not that we lost sight of who we are as a team, but we wanted to make sure that identity stayed front and center.”

One of the key additions reflecting that approach was offensive lineman Blake Miller, whom the Detroit Lions selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Miller later spoke with reporters during a press conference in Allen Park, Michigan, following his selection.