Lions 2024 draft class rated among worst in NFL.
Detroit Lions cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (15), left, talks to defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo (94) / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Detroit Lions 2024 NFL Draft class did not get favorable reviews in a recent NFL.com ranking of each team’s first-year players.
Detroit’s draft class ranked 28th out of 32 teams and earned a C- grade. Only the Chiefs, Bills, Vikings and Browns were rated worse.
With an experienced roster, Detroit’s rookies were already facing an uphill climb to earn playing time to start with. Cornerback Terrion Arnold and offensive lineman Christian Mahogany had meaningful snaps as starters.
Mahogany, Sione Vaki, Ennis Rakestraw and Mekhi Wingo had opportunities to showcase their skills, but injuries derailed many of Detroit’s prospects chances of making more of an impact.
Giovanni Manu was inactive all season and is a developmental prospect the team hopes develops into being a reliable offensive lineman.
“Like Philadelphia, Detroit drafted cornerbacks in the first two rounds. Unlike Philadelphia, Detroit didn’t enjoy immediate Super Bowl-winning returns. Ennis Rakestraw Jr.’s season was waylaid by injuries, so it’s hard to judge his actual performance,” writes Gennaro Filice. “Terrion Arnold, on the other hand, basically started the entire season — and he experienced significant growing pains, particularly in a flag-filled opening month.”
Many analysts expect Arnold to make significant strides in his sophomore campaign in the NFL.
In his rookie season, Arnold led the league in man-coverage snaps. Former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn did not shy away from playing press man coverage, despite having two rookie cornerbacks on the roster.
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Head coach Dan Campbell indicated he wants to continue to play man coverage on defense and new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard should oblige, as he was mentored by the new Jets head man.
“Detroit threw this rookie right into the fire and then doused him with gasoline. He didn’t thrive, but he survived, showing progress as the season transpired,” Filice noted. “So long as Arnold maintains the self confidence that we all saw back on draft night in Detroit — when he memorably hit the stage and told a raucous crowd of Lions fans “Y’all got yourself a star”– I could see a major step forward in Year 2.”
In 2025, Mahogany is expected to become a starter, while Sheppard will have his opportunity to craft a defense to suit the needs of the youngest players on the roster.
As Filice explained, “Beyond those first two picks, Detroit’s most notable returns came via Christian Mahogany (who excelled in a pair of spot starts at guard, one of which came in the postseason) and Sione Vaki (the RB/DB who got the special teamer nod on the PFWA All-Rookie Team).”
