Tag: Brad Holmes

Detroit Lions draft CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. in second round

ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions added another cornerback when they selected Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (Missouri) in the second round (61st overall) of the NFL Draft in Detroit on Friday night. The Lions drafted CB Terrion Arnold (Alabama) in the first round on Thursday night.

By taking Arnold and Rakestraw, the Lions have now selected a cornerback with their first two picks of a given draft for the first time in the Super Bowl era.

“We didn’t go into it saying we were going to get two corners in the first two rounds,” GM Brad Holmes said on Friday night. It worked out because they were the best players available, adding that he wouldn’t reach for a corner.

The Lions also acquired veteran corners Amik Robertson and Carlton Davis in the offseason, boosting the competition level.

“It’s a bloodbath in there now. It is and that’s what makes everything better,’’ Holmes said. “It makes the room better, it makes the defense better, makes the team better. Competition brings the best out of everybody.

Rakestraw said during a conference call that the two actually made their top 30 visits to the Lions at the same time. The two SEC corners had met and got along when they were working out at the NFL Combine. He said the two of them can be a force to be reckoned with in Detroit’s future.

Rakestraw, the 61st overall pick, played in nine games last season (his redshirt junior year) with eight starts at Missouri. In his four seasons at Missouri, he had one interception, 24 pass deflections and 107 total tackles.

Rakestraw, who is 5-11 and 183 pounds, has told reporters he was born with a chip on his shoulder. He was always told he was too small but they didn’t know how big his heart was. He was once turned away for an offseason camp during high school because he was too small. That snub drove him harder to work on his craft. In his senior year of high school he weighted 154 pounds.

“I’m in the best fit for me as possible. I’m going to prove the Lions are right and everybody else is wrong,” Rakestraw said.

Holmes said the two corners have different personalities. 

“Ennis is actually different. You feel the confidence. Me and Dan (Campbell) sitting there talking to him, I felt ‘dog’ exuding out of him,’’ Holmes said. “(He’s) a lot more quiet, to the point, to the business, not as loud and a vivid personality like Terrion.

“We’re just thrilled cause they’re all the same in terms of they both fit us like a glove, they’re both gritty, physical, they’re both challenge mentality guys,’’ Holmes added.

Lance Zierlein, analyst for NFL.com, on Rakestraw:  “He plays the game with good physicality and a competitive tilt that defensive back coaches will enjoy. He’s strong but not as big or fast as teams usually like when picking within the first three rounds of the draft. However, he’s hard-nosed in press and has the body control and anticipation to play a sticky brand of man coverage over the first two levels.’’

He was projected as a second-round pick.

“He’s quicker than fast and does a nice job of breaking quickly on throws in front of him with well-timed challenges to knock the ball free. He intercepted only one pass during his college career, which could be a concern, but his willingness and toughness in run support work in his favor. Rakestraw could become a good backup with eventual starter potential in the right scheme,’’ Zierlein reported.

Rakestraw was the only Lions’ pick on Friday. 

Saturday is the third and final day of the 2024 NFL Draft with rounds 4-7 starting at noon. The Lions have a fifth-round pick (164 overall), two sixth-round picks (201, 205) and a seventh-round (249).

Detroit Lions’ Terrion Arnold ready to get to work to prove he’s worth Brad Holmes’ move up to draft him

ALLEN PARK — It’s easy to see why cornerback Terrion Arnold is Dan Campbell’s kind of guy. The Detroit Lions’ first-round pick, a cornerback from Alabama, exudes confidence and commitment to winning.

Arnold met with the media at the Lions facility on Friday, after being selected on Thursday night with the 24th overall pick. He brought alone eight members of his family.

While he just turned 21 in March, Arnold seems mature beyond that. 

“I envision myself as coming in here humble and just open to learn. I don’t think I know everything. I don’t want to come in here and be that rookie who thinks he’s going to start, I know I’m going to have to work for everything,’’ Arnold said. “I want to learn from the best. Even in the locker room I was in there with some of the veterans they said they were grateful to have me here, they welcomed me with open arms. … I don’t want to come off as arrogant. I want to come off as confident but not arrogant, I want to show them I’m eager to learn, to develop.’’

Lions GM Brad Holmes moved up five spots to draft him.

“They traded up to select me, I’ll always be grateful for that and I won’t take it for granted. I’m already coming in here with a chip on my shoulder, it’s just going to be that much of a chip on my shoulder,’’ Arnold said. “I saw St. Brown today and I just asked him when can we get on the Jugg machine. I feel like I’m a workaholic, nothing is going to be given to me.’’

Arnold paid some attention to the Lions last year because he was teammates at Alabama with nickel Brian Branch (second-round 2023), running back Jahmyr Gibbs (first-round 2023)  and wide receiver Jameson Williams (first-round 2022).

“It shows that Coach (Aaron) Glenn, he allows players to go out there and play. In my meeting with him earlier he was like he’s going to develop me into being a better player,’’ Arnold said. “At the end of the day we’re young players, my ceiling is very high and just to show up every day with a willingness to work , putting in overtime, you’ll get success in this game they saw football reveals character.’’’

It’s not really a coincidence that Lions GM Brad Holmes has draft Alabama players in the first round of three straight drafts. Coach Nick Saban prepares his players for life beyond college.

“Just being around (Saban) I learned something new every day,’’ Arnold said. “Whether that was you’ve got to be able to take hard coaching, be able to take constructive criticism or you have to apply the right technique or it’s hot outside and you don’t really want to do it but you have to go out there and do it to the way he wants to execute it. I really learned how to become a professional before becoming a professional around coach Saban.’’

(Rounds 2-3 start at 7 p.m. on Friday. The draft wraps on Saturday with rounds 4-7 starting at noon.)

Detroit Lions trade up, draft CB Terrion Arnold in first round

ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions traded up five spots to take cornerback Terrion Arnold (Alabama) on Thursday night with the 24th overall pick in the first round of the NFL draft in Detroit.

Arnold, an All-American in 2023, was the second cornerback selected. Quinyon Mitchell (Toledo) went to the Eagles with the 22nd pick. 

Cornerback was seen as an area of need for the Lions, the defending NFC North champs. So it made sense to make the move.

“It doesn’t always match up that way. I know you guys have heard me say a million times we don’t care what the position is, we just want to get the best football player,’’ Lions GM Brad Holmes said. “It happened to match up with the best football player and it was an area where we wanted to add one at some point. We didn’t know if we were going to be able to add one in the first round.’’

Holmes said he started making phone calls in the late teens to move up. He said he knew the draft would be offensive-heavy early, but couldn’t be more ecstatic how it went.

“I never thought that he’d be there, but I couldn’t be more thrilled,’’ Holmes said, mentioning Arnold’s good workout at his pro day at Alabama.

He says Arnold has a “challenge mentality” and “right mindset” which will fit the Lions perfectly.

“It’s the more than the skillset for us,’’ said Holmes who examines how a player is wired.

In the trade, Detroit acquired the 24th-overall and a seventh-round 2025 pick, while Dallas received the 29th overall pick and a third-round pick (73rd overall).

“We feel really good about his floor, but we feel even better about his ceiling,’’ Holmes said.

Arnold was one of the prospects on stage for the draft in front of 275,000 fans, many of them Lions fans.

“I grabbed the mic and said I was home and I meant it,” Arnold said. “You have the best fan base in the NFL.”

Arnold, who turned 21 in March, made a pre-draft visit to the Lions.

“One thing that he showed is how smart he was, competitive, just smart and understanding football were some of the things that stood out right away. His understanding of the scheme, the things he did at Alabama and how he had position flexibility. You saw that when you talked to him and saw his personality, ‘’ Deshea Townsend, Lions passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach, said after the selection.

“He’s a corner, you have to be borderline cocky but you have to be humble at the same time and he is a kid that has confidence, but having that confidence he understands that he has to work. That’s one thing I felt when I talked to him,’’ Townsend added.

Arnold, who is 6-foot and 196 pounds, had a breakout season in 2023 with five interceptions and 11 pass breakups.

“That’s one of the most important things that I look at when we’re watching a corner is can he track and locate,’’ Townsend said. “That’s one thing you want to have the ability to do is find the ball and go create turnovers.’’

Arnold will join three other former Crimson Tide players who have been a good fit in Detroit — DB Brian Branch, WR Jameson Williams and RB Jahmyr Gibbs.

Arnold said it means everything to play with those three. “Those are my brothers,” Arnold said.

“I have so much respect for Nick (Saban) and everything he’s done for that program,’’ Holmes said.

Arnold joins Lions cornerbacks Carlton Davis III, Amik Robertson, Emmanuel Moseley, Steven Gilmore, Kindle Vildor, Khalil Dorsey and Craig James.

The first 14 draft picks were all from the offensive side of the ball. Six of the top dozen chosen were quarterbacks. The Colts chose the first defensive player – EDGE rusher Laiatu Latu – with the 15th overall selection.

The Lions have one second-round pick on Friday at 61st overall. Rounds 2-3 start at 7 p.m. on Friday. The draft wraps on Saturday with rounds 4-7 starting at noon.

Another thing or two …

— Detroit set an attendance record with 275,000 fans in Detroit for the first day of the NFL Draft. The announcement was made by commissioner Roger Goodell. In comparison, the 3-day draft in Kansas City (home of the defending Super Bowl champs) drew 312,000 last year.

— Hall of Famers Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson, along with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Aidan Hutchinson, Jared Goff and fan Eminiem, opened the draft on the stage at Campus Martius with Goodell. St. Brown led the first Ja-Red Goff chants. It’s the first NFL draft held in Detroit.