Brad Holmes is not a household name around the NFL. So when the Detroit Lions tabbed the longtime Rams director of collegiate scouting as the new general manager, there wasn’t a lot of background to work with.
The 41-year-old Holmes has been with the Rams for 18 years, working his way up the ladder through several different regimes and leadership styles in the organization. He played defensive tackle at North Carolina A&T and looks fit enough that he could still play, or at least participate in a practice.
Here’s what some in the Rams organization have said about Holmes recently, starting off with his longtime boss, Rams GM Les Snead. He’s got a great story about Holmes from years ago, before Snead was his boss:
We just got off a great emotional call with Brad Holmes that of course ended with Les and Brad breaking down the draft… which led me to ask Les when he first knew Brad had “it”… .@Lions fans — get jacked… he’s built for this!(oh and comment at end🤣) pic.twitter.com/AquGmgQwjJ
— KHS (@KaraHenderson) January 14, 2021
From an ESPN profile of Holmes from December, when he was first identified as a GM candidate, there are a couple of quotes as relayed by ESPN’s Lindsay Thiry that help flesh out why Holmes had appeal to the Lions.
“He’s become a valued voice in our organization as part of our leadership team on social justice and diversity issues, helping us lead a diverse group of people,” Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff said. “Brad is one of the more valued voices we have in our building.”
Rams general manager Les Snead called Holmes an impactful leader and said he’s “equipped with dynamic intelligence, is an astute evaluator of football talent” and is “experienced in setting an ‘all things considered’ draft board.”
Finally, I turned to my Rams Wire counterpart, Cameron DaSilva, for his take on Holmes. Here’s what DaSilva said in our conversation,
“Holmes doesn’t get the attention that GM Les Snead does, but he’s been a huge part of the Rams’ roster-building, especially in recent years. Where he and the Rams really shine is in identifying quality players in the mid-to-late rounds of the draft. In just the last four years alone, the Rams found starters such as John Johnson, Cooper Kupp, Jordan Fuller, Samson Ebukam, Troy Reeder and Gerald Everett outside the first round, as well as Josh Reynolds.
Holmes was also with the Rams when they drafted Aaron Donald, Todd Gurley, Rob Havenstein and Tyler Higbee, all of whom have been starters in Los Angeles. Snead puts a lot of trust in his scouts and talent evaluators and Holmes is certainly at the forefront of what the Rams have built in recent years.”
