Lions 2024 Draft Analysis Compilation

Round 1, Pick 24 - Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama:

NFL: This is a perfect fit for Detroit, as Arnold is a clean playmaker and technician who checks off all the boxes. The Lions are upping the ante on the back end when it comes to football IQ by adding another Nick Saban defender one year after drafting Brian Branch.

CBS Sports: B. The Lions needed some corner help, so it makes sense to make a move to get one. Arnold gives them another Alabama secondary player to go with Brian Branch, another player with versatility.

ESPN: Detroit needs help in the secondary after releasing veteran cornerback Cam Sutton. Trading up with the Dallas Cowboys to get Arnold should help the team fix some of its struggles. The Lions allowed 34 completions thrown at least 20 yards downfield last season, which tied with the Houston Texans for second-most in the league. Arnold's selection marks the second time the Lions have taken a defensive back in the first round this century. The other was Jeff Okudah at No. 3 in 2020.

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Round 2, Pick 61 - Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri:

NFL: I mocked Rakestraw to the Lions in Round 1 back in late January, and here he lands in Detroit a round later. Rakestraw's injury and pre-draft process complicated his scouting report and pushed him behind a few other corners, but he has the mentality to fit in very well in Detroit. He's a willing tackler and a talented man-cover guy -- even if Rakestraw lacks elite length or athleticism.

CBS Sports: B. Chippy, in-your-face inside-out cornerback with good, not great athletic gifts. Plant-and-drive skills can be borderline special. Hit or miss as a tackler but the hits are huge thumping hits. Reasonable ball skills and will play the football aggressively. Size and length a concern.

ESPN: Detroit again added to its secondary. This is the first time in the common draft era the Lions have taken a DB with each of their first two picks, after trading up to get Arnold at No. 24. Detroit's defense allowed 28 passing TDs last year, which was the sixth worst in the league and marked the fifth straight season they ranked in the bottom 10 in passing TDs allowed. Rakestraw allowed one TD all season but was only targeted on 8% of his coverage snaps.

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Round 4, Pick 126 - Giovanni Manu, OT, British Columbia:

NFL: The University of British Columbia just landed its first-ever NFL draft pick. Manu is a highly intriguing developmental OT prospect whose massive frame (6-foot-7, 352 pounds) makes him a worthy pet project for Lions OL coach Hank Fraley. But we expect Year 1 to be a redshirt one for Manu.

CBS Sports: D+. Mountain of a man with flashes of incredible burst at his size but overall flexibility and athletic profile is lacking. Of course will take time to translate to the stronger competition level but the length and burst make him a fascinating project. But long-term developmental type. Hand work needs to improve and not overly aware of complex blitzes.

ESPN: The Lions traded up to take their first offensive player in the draft with a developmental lineman. Manu measured at 6-foot-7, 352 pounds at his pro day while reportedly running a 5.06-second 40-yard dash, but he is raw. He has basketball experience, is known for his physical power, and he will be a fun project for the Lions to take on, as he adds depth to the O-line.

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Round 4, Pick 132 - Sione Vaki, RB, Utah:

NFL: The Lions are listing Vaki as a running back, although he also worked out with the safeties at the NFL Scouting Combine and played both spots last year for the Utes. Vaki's versatility and do-whatever-it-takes attitude will be a hit in Detroit, but his best shot might be to make it as a core special-teamer.

CBS Sports: C+. Fire-hydrant safety. Goes 100mph every play. Quickness and instincts stand out. Wasn’t a big ball hawk in college but not totally inept in that regard. Tiny frame and shorter arms than what’s normally desired. Can play anywhere. Also has some running back ability too. Strong tackler. Expensive trade up dips this grade a bit.

ESPN: The Lions traded up for a third time to take Vaki, as a running back. He probably will see reps on special teams. At Utah, Vaki was a two-way player, seeing time at running back and safety in 2023. He finished with 317 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and opposing QBs had just a 4.8 QBR when targeting him. Detroit is known for its creativity on offense, and he could emerge as a weapon at some point with his two-way ability.

r/NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Nevinyrral’s Disk - (1) tap, Destroy all artifacts, creatures, and enchantments.

Round 6, Pick 189 - Mekhi Wingo, DT, LSU:

NFL: Wingo is an undersized 3-technique with so-so career production, but I did not expect him to be available this late. His intangibles are strong, and he was rotated quite heavily at LSU, as well as having to endure nearly constant coaching changes there. He could surprise for sure as a rotational contributor.

CBS Sports: B. Smaller, upfield rusher with some pass-rush moves, he simply needs to utilize more. Dynamic off the snap and can win with his first step alone at times. Gets overwhelmed against the run.

ESPN: In their fourth time trading up, the Lions are bringing in a team captain with 98 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble throughout his college tenure. Once again, the Lions are adding talent to help a defense that struggled at times. His 4.85 in the 40-yard dash at the combine was second-fastest among DTs this year, behind only FSU's Braden Fiske, who led at 4.78.

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Round 6, Pick 210 - Christian Mahogany, OG, Boston College:

NFL: Mahogany's tape is hilarious, watching him dispatch defenders left and right, even if that overzealous style can get him in trouble at times. He needs refinement but will land with one of the best OL coaches in the NFL and was just outside my top 100 prospects. The Lions' strong draft continues.

CBS Sports: B. Had pre-season hype but fell off many blocks and didn’t play with awesome balance in his final season for the Eagles. Has the length and squatty frame that projects well to guard. Feels about right for him.

ESPN: Mahogany was a three-year starter at Boston College. He did not allow a sack and surrendered just one QB pressure in 2023. During the 2021 season, he also did not allow a sack and posted a 0.3% pressure rate, which was the fourth-best among right guards in 2023. He played left guard in 2020 before moving over to the right side. This pick adds depth to the Lions' offensive line.

r/NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Authorization Failure: card fact not fo… Ahah kidding this was done manually.

in detroitlionsby EJC28

87%

21d

IrwinMFletcher200

21d

CBS throws out a B as a default

FunetikPrugresiv

21d

Vaki is an MTG fan. I'm always surprised to see fans of the game in the wild. He can afford to play it now, too!

JJBrandon69

The Fist

21d

I can’t wait until I stop assuming MTG means Marjorie Taylor Greene

clevernamehere1628

90s logo

21d

Same. I was about to already start disliking the guy for a sec lol

FunetikPrugresiv

21d

That will be a glorious day indeed.

Blutarg

21d

Perhaps if we get MTG to play MTG she will be too busy to cause trouble.

timinator5000

What Would Brad Holmes Do?

21d

MTG? Ohhh Magic the Gathering. Took me a second

Someus3r

21d

I’m convinced the writer who said “fire-hydrant safety” is just making shit up and seeing if anyone calls them out on what that actually means

lronicGasping

Sun God

21d

That's how I feel when I'm reading like 80% of scouting reports. I'm assuming I just don't know insider scouting/technique terms but it just sounds like they're putting random words together lmao

sammagee33

21d

I was going to post asking “what is a fire-hydrant safety” so I’m glad I’m not the only one.

Calcd_Uncertainty

What Would Brad Holmes Do?

21d

fire-hydrant safety

Is when you remember to take proper safety precautions, such as wearing personal protective equipment and being mindful of bystanders or objects near the hydrant.

keystygangsta

21d

I remember when CJ was drafted a writer said “he sometimes hears footsteps”. It was the only negative and I still have no idea what that means.

rymfire

21d

The footstep sounds come from the defender about to tackle you from your blind side. Someone's who "hears footsteps" on the field is afraid to catch a ball in a vulnerable position.

Awardlesss

21d

Firehydrantsafety.com is available if anyone is interested.

PogoHobbes

21d

Ty for the summary. I might as well add to it with some NFL draft specialists:

The Athletic (Brugler) Detroit Lions ranked #3

Favorite pick: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama: No. 10 on my board, Arnold was my highest-graded defensive player in the entire draft — and the Lions were able to trade up and get him at 24. Aside from the talent he brings to the roster, the fit is what makes this one of my favorite picks. Arnold is one of the most competitive players in the draft class, and he’s ideally wired not just for a cornerback, but especially for a Dan Campbell-coached cornerback.

Day 3 pick who could surprise: Christian Mahogany, G, Boston College: The Lions had a fascinating Day 3, including trading a 2025 third-round pick to draft Giovanni Manu, a project left tackle with rare tools. But it was Detroit’s two Round 6 picks that stood out — LSU’s Mekhi Wingo and Mahogany, who both ranked inside my top 100. Some medical questions caused Mahogany to fall, but he is a smash-mouth power blocker with lighter feet than expected. It won’t be a surprise if he is competing for a starting role in 2025.

The Ringer (Danny Kelly) Detroit Lions GRADE: A

THE LIONS CAME INTO THE DRAFT WITH MASSIVE HOLES IN THEIR DEFENSIVE SECONDARY. THEY IMMEDIATELY FILLED THOSE GAPS.

I loved the team’s first-round selection of Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold, who was my top-ranked corner and 11th overall player. Arnold gives the team a plug-and-play starter and ball-hawking playmaker on the outside. GM Brad Holmes didn’t stop there, grabbing another potential future starter at cornerback in Missouri’s Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (my 42nd overall player) in the second round. Rakestraw is slightly undersized but makes up for it with his tenacious, physical style. The Lions made one of the more interesting picks of Day 3 as well, nabbing a physical marvel in University of British Columbia’s Giovanni Manu. Manu stands 6-foot-7, 352 pounds and has the athletic traits that suggest he could develop into a starting tackle for Detroit.

PFF (Trevor Sikkema) DETROIT LIONS: A

Arnold — Detroit traded up to acquire the 14th-ranked player on the PFF big board, Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold. Arnold is an alpha presence in the secondary who plays with a fearless mentality. He led all SEC cornerbacks in interceptions and pass breakups in 2023 and led the conference with a 90.6 PFF run-defense grade. Detroit has officially overhauled its cornerback room with the additions of Arnold, Carlton Davis and Amik Robertson.

Rakestraw — The Lions continue to rebuild a defense that ranked 30th in coverage grade in 2023. Rakestraw, the 46th-ranked player on the PFF big board, is a physical cornerback who excels in zone coverage. He posted an 85.2 PFF zone coverage grade in 2023. The Lions have completely revamped their cornerback room in just one offseason.

Manu — Manu isn’t on the PFF big board because we don’t have any data on him, but he received a lot of hype in the final weeks leading up to the draft. He ran a 4.96-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-7 and 352 pounds.

Vaki — Lions fans, get ready to love Vaki, one of the most athletic players in the 2024 NFL Draft. He played safety and running back at Utah, but he is a solid safety in coverage. Don’t expect him to make exceptional plays on the football very often, but Vaki packs a mean punch. He’s a plus tackler in run defense and perfectly fits Aaron Glenn’s mentality in the Motor City.

Wingo — This is a great spot to get Wingo, a good athlete for someone his size. His 84.9 run-defense grade since 2022 is the best among SEC defensive tackles in that span, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him develop into a good rotational player in Detroit.

Mahogany — Mahogany fell further than expected, enabling the Lions to land a bit of a steal here in the sixth round. Over the past three seasons, he has allowed just one sack and seven total quarterback pressures from 711 pass-blocking snaps.

Pawz23

What Would Brad Holmes Do?

21d

I prefer when the grades are bad. Just so Brad Holmes' recipe isn't discovered and replicated. And so these people look back 1-4 years from now and feel stupid.

lronicGasping

Sun God

21d

I would put negative stock on the CBS grades, I was reading them all draft just rolling my eyes. Same guy who did those grades also said he would've taken Daniels over Williams and Nabers over MHJ, just another wannabe hot take artist

2bags12kuai

21d

He's the one dentist in the "9 out of 10 dentists recommend"

NathanDrake75

21d

Sione Vaki is one of the players in this draft that I think will punch well above what his draft stock was. He’s got a worth ethic that fits really well with this particular Lions team, he’s versatile and he’s really smart. This was a great find by Brad Holmes and the staff.

ARGENTAVIS9000

21d

if nothing else he'll be a very good depth piece to have at RB in the event monty/gibbs goes down and be a special teams ace.

inkokmo

JAMO

21d

Thanks for taking the time to compile this!

pm_me_ur_cutie_booty

21d

Nevinyrral's Disk comes into play tapped. I hope Vaki isn't the same way.

trowayit

21d

I am really not sure why anyone would use cbs sports as a credible source of intelligence. Their power rankings are literally just sorted by current W/L totals but they always give the chiefs a few extra bumps up.

TankAggravating7044

21d

Pretty accurate ratings.

Morthoron_Dark_Elf

DETROIT -VS- EVERYBODY

21d

CBS and Pete Prisco can suck a dick. And they'll probably only get a C- on technique, which is a higher grade than what they get for their tiresome bashing of Lions' drafts (like last years).

Lionnn100

21d

Tiny frame for Vaki? Idk about that, dude is built pretty goddam sturdy.