A Look At 2018 Draft Prospect Jalyn Holmes As A Potential Selection By The Detroit Lions
The 2018 NFL Draft class is not very deep at defensive end or EDGE players in this class. There are a couple of top tier players. After Bradley Chubb and Harold Landry, every player at this position will come with question marks. Most of them are more developmental players. Defensive end Jalyn Holmes is certainly in this conversation. Being more athletically limited than others at his position on day two may keep the Ohio State product from being selected in rounds one or two.
What Does Jalyn Holmes Have To Work On For Success In The NFL
The very first aspect of Holmes game that needs to be addressed is his hand usage and his pad level. Both are poor and often too high to maintain proper leverage. This hindered Holmes’ impact on the running game during his time at Ohio State. This is why his strength comes and goes on film. When he is able to get low, he is able to hold his gap. Too high and he gets blown off the ball. This was a major issue he faced against double teams as well. Got washed down the line on double teams and down blocks.
He needs to become more familiar with offensive blocking concepts and read option as his play recognition is quite poor. Holmes guessed too often against read option as well. This has been a particular weakness for the Lions the past several seasons, so it may be exacerbating a pre-existing issue to select him.
Why Should He Be In Consideration In The Third Round?
Holmes is one of the bigger defensive ends in this class at 6’5″, 285lbs. He moves well for his size and has the frame to add more. His lack of elite speed off the edge may have him move inside. He has the frame to add more weight. His ideal position may be a 3-4 defensive end if he can add more mass to his lower body.
While his hand fighting technique is raw to this point, everything he does is violent and with effort. He just needs direction on where to aim that energy. Has good burst and uses his forward lean to generate power when hand usage and pad level are low.
Ultimately, his flaws are fixable, but Holmes possesses a nice blend of length and explosion that could be a very nice value pick in the third round. The lack of depth at the position may push the Lions towards this pick if defensive end has not been addressed in rounds one or two. While he still needs to develop some before he can be a reliable starter, new head coach Matt Patricia has shown a proclivity for getting the most out of his front seven players. Holmes could be the next in line.
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