All Lions rates the Detroit Lions’ 2024 NFL Draft class.
The 2024 NFL Draft has finished, and the Detroit Lions’ new rookie class has been finalised. Naturally, it is time to evaluate the Lions’ haul. General manager Brad Holmes conducted his usual wheeling and dealing, moving around the board.
While Holmes has proven to be an elite-drafting general manager, that does not mean I cannot express my thoughts on each selection. Obviously, the Lions’ scouting department has done considerably more research and knows far more about each candidate than I ever could. Holmes has justifiably won the supporters’ trust in his selections.
As I remind out every year, I do not score drafts on an A-to-C scale, as most draft analysts do. A “C” from me is regarded average and does not necessarily indicate a bad grade.
The grading scheme is as follows: A = Great, B = Good, C = Average, D = Poor, and F = Horrible.
Terrion Arnold (CB, Alabama)
(First round, number 24 overall)
Logan has a 6-foot frame, weighs 189 pounds, has a 4.50-second 40-yard dash, and a 37-inch vertical. He is ranked 16th on the big board and has a personal preference for defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton.
As Arnold slipped down the selection board, Holmes couldn’t bear the thought of coming so close to a top corner and not taking him. In doing so, he traded a third-round pick to move up five positions. Yes, cornerback was the Lions’ most pressing need. Was it worth giving up a Day 2 pick rather than “settling” for another great cornerback, such as Arnold’s teammate, Kool-Aid McKinstry? That’s a tough decision for me.
Arnold excels at a variety of skills as a player. There’s a reason why many pundits ranked him as the best cornerback in the whole draft. The first-team All-American led the highly competitive SEC in interceptions (5) and passes defence. It is worth noting that Arnold was targeted (64) more than most other top cornerbacks in the class. Perhaps this is because McKinstry, who played on the opposing side, saw only 36 targets. Overall, Arnold allowed an excellent 49.1 passer rating in 2023.
Arnold is more agile than fast, with fluid hips and a strong grip on wide receivers. Despite his first passion of basketball and being recruited as a safety, his instincts as a cornerback and ability to read routes are exceptional.
He is physical in the run game and has the highest Pro Football Focus run-defense grade (90.2) of any FBS defensive back in the draft. Arnold is also capable of playing both outside and inside the slot.
Perhaps the finest football is still ahead of Arnold. Arnold, who recently turned 21, has steadily improved with each season. Aside from extraordinary top-end speed, Arnold is a nearly perfect prospect.
Grade: A-.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB from Missouri
(Second round, ranked 61 overall)
Logan is 5-foot-11, weighs 183 pounds, has a 4.51-second 40-yard dash and a 4.38-second short shuttle. He is ranked 53rd on the big board and was personally selected by OG Cooper Beebe.
Perhaps drafting back-to-back cornerbacks came as a surprise. Given that another cornerback was the Lions’ best available option, it never hurts to add youth or depth to a weaker position on the squad.
Rakestraw was generating first-round buzz prior to the combine. After ordinary testing with a slim build, the enthusiasm subsided, and he was firmly placed in the second round. Despite his size, he plays considerably bigger and seeks contact. I don’t think it’s a mistake that Holmes selected the top two run-defense-graded cornerbacks in this draft class; Rakestraw finished only behind Arnold in that category.
Rakestraw shares many parallels with Arnold as well. The Missouri product boasts exceptional burst, fluidity, inside-out adaptability, and route recognition. Neither player possesses excellent timed deep speed. Despite strong 10-yard splits, the “flying 20” – the final 20 yards of a 40-yard dash or typically “top-end” performance – was significantly lower than average.
Rakestraw is versatile in terms of covering. However, his zone-coverage score of 85.2 was significantly higher than his man-coverage grade of 56.6 in 2023. Rakestraw catches a lot of passes but only has one interception in his college career.
Rakestraw has an injury history as well, having torn his ACL in 2021 and dealing with a groyne issue last season that reportedly slowed him during the draft process. Perhaps the persistent ailment contributed to the 4.51 40-yard dash time at the combine. Nonetheless, he ran a 4.56-second 40 on his pro day a few weeks later.
Rakestraw’s intangibles and competitiveness on the field distinguish him as a one-of-a-kind talent.
Grade: B.
Giovanni Manu, OT, University of British Columbia.
(Fourth round, number 126 overall)
Logan is 6-foot-7, weighs 352 pounds, has a 5.03-second 40-yard sprint, and can bench press 23 repetitions. His big board rank is unknown. Personal selection: S. Jaden Hicks
The Lions traded a 2025 third-round pick to take Manu in the fourth round. Manu first came to my attention after all of the top-30 visits he made, including one with the Lions, following an outstanding pro day. You don’t see many 352-pounders run as quickly as he did. Not that a 40-time is really crucial for a lineman; it simply reveals the type of athlete he is. More crucially, his agility workouts did not go as well. However, he may not have had as much training in the short shuttle and 3-cone exercise as other combine athletes.
I won’t lie: I couldn’t watch much Manu-related film. The recurring theme in appraisals is that Manu is incredibly raw and need several years of seasoning. Given the dearth of tackle depth, I would have liked a more professional-ready swing tackle.
This pick is reminiscent to Brodric Martin’s selection last year. A large ball of clay with some promise who was plucked far earlier than many imagined. At its ceiling, this decision might look fantastic in the future if — and this is a big if — Manu develops and reaches his full potential. The Philadelphia Eagles took a chance on left tackle Jordan Mailata, albeit as a seventh-round pick in 2018, and were well rewarded. Mailata had considerably greater movement abilities and longer arms than Manu, however.
At the end of the day, I’m relying on Holmes’ knowledge far more than most. At this point in the draft, it appears that a lot has been given up, and there is a significant danger.
Grade: D+
Sione Vaki, RB/S for Utah
(Fourth round; No. 132 overall)
Logan is a 5-foot-11, 210-pounder with a 4.62-second 40-yard speed and a 39.5-inch vertical. He is ranked No. 196 on the big board and was personally selected by CB Kris Abrams-Draine.
The key question is which position Vaki will play. He played safety at Utah and led the team in total defensive snaps last season. However, due to injuries in the offensive backfield, he was called upon to play running back. He rushed for 317 yards, 203 receiving yards, and five touchdowns.
For someone weighing 210 pounds, he is an excellent linear athlete. During his pro day, he also improved his 40-yard sprint time to 4.51 seconds. The second-team All-American safety took a lot of deep snaps, but he appears to perform his best work close to the box when he can come downhill for run support. Vaki isn’t always a trustworthy tackler, with a 14.3 percent missed tackle rate in 2023. When he hits a ball carrier, they feel it. In coverage, he appears to lack instinct and is rarely in position to make plays on the ball.
If the Lions want to employ him on offence, he will most likely be a depth option.
Vaki’s special teams value will be immediately apparent regardless of his position. This man is simply a football player with a strong work ethic and a great personality.
Grade: C-.
Mekhi Wingo, DT at LSU
(Sixth round; No. 189 overall)
Logan is a 6-foot-284-pound athlete with a 4.85-second 40-yard dash and a 25-rep bench press. He is ranked No. 113 on the big board and has a personal selection of CB Kamal Hadden.
Although I didn’t appreciate the prior two picks, Holmes’ final two picks may be my favourites. The Lions required a defensive tackle who could move swiftly into the backfield. Although the redshirt junior lacks length, he compensates by using his hands effectively.
Wingo’s 1.63-second 10-yard split is unusual. That’s faster than most EDGE players, yet it comes from a small 284-pounder. He never lived up to his full potential in college, despite being awarded SEC All-Freshman at Missouri. He wasn’t particularly productive, either, which is probably why he was still available in the sixth round. Even though he had 4.5 sacks in 2023 despite missing five games due to a groyne injury, his 7.2 percent pass-rush win percentage last year was not exceptional. Wingo’s habit of rarely leaving the pitch may also contribute to an average win rate. He is the epitome of a “iron man.” Despite the groyne injury last year, the team captain was determined to return for the Tigers’ bowl game. That’s unusual in today’s world.
At this point in the draft, almost any on-field usage is considered a victory. Yes, Wingo may just be a pass-rush specialist at the next level, but interior rushing talent is critical.
Grade: A-.
Christian Mahogany, OG at Boston College.
(Sixth round, number 210 overall)
Logan is a 6-foot-3, 314-pound athlete with a 5.13-second 40-yard dash and a 4.53-second short shuttle. He is ranked No. 149 on the big board and has WR Brenden Rice as a personal selection.
I believe the Lions were able to acquire a potential future starter in the late sixth round. Mahogany possesses the power, mauler mindset, and agility that the coaching staff will value – an excellent mix. Although he is better known as a run-blocker, this does not mean he is a liability in pass-blocking. There are certain issues he could fix. Despite this, the first-team All-ACC guard did not allow a single sack or quarterback hit on 422 pass-blocking snaps in 2023.
Behind the starters, the Lions needed inside depth, and I am confident Mahogany will fill that position straight away.
Grade: A.
Overall Grade:
Brad Holmes could do pretty much everything he wanted with this draft, and I would trust his judgement. Despite being sceptical of a few decisions, the talent he obtained in important areas is quite encouraging. If the Lions had improved their cornerback play last season, it could have meant the difference between making the Super Bowl and losing in the NFC Championship Game. I have no problem with their top four original picks (Nos. 29, 61, 73, and 92) being used to improve their secondary.
Holmes has had some outstanding drafts throughout his time in Detroit, but this one could be my favourite thus far in terms of value at each pick. There were no top-10 overall picks like in previous years, so this class may not have as much impact early on. However, I believe that these prospects will make significant contributions both now and in the future.
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