Tag: Brad Holmes

Detroit Lions add interior OL depth, draft Christian Mahogany in sixth round

Holmes: ‘He’s got some dirtbag in him’

ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions added depth to the offensive line with their final pick in the NFL draft by taking Christian Mahogany (Boston College) in the sixth round (210 overall).

Mahogany, who is 6-foot-3 and 314 pounds, was first team all-ACC in 2023 when he started 12 games at right guard.

Lions GM Brad Holmes said he was shocked Mahogany was available so late in the draft and would not speculate why he dropped. NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein had projected him as a fourth-round pick.

“He fits how we want to play,’’ Holmes said. “… He’s got some dirtbag in him.’’

Mahogany takes that as a compliment.

“It’s something I really pride myself on. … I look forward to bringing it to the National Football League,’’ Mahogany said on a conference call on Saturday.

He’s thrilled to be selected by the Lions who have one of the top offensive lines in the League. He wants to be a sponge and learn from the best.

Mahogany is the first interior lineman that the Lions have ever drafted from Boston College.

Zierlein on Mahogany: “Big and powerful but lacking the leverage and body control needed to play a more consistent brand of football. Mahogany’s early tape was very problematic due to shoddy footwork caused by a poor stance, but he made a midseason self-correction that led to better tape later in the year. He doesn’t have the short-area movements to be a consistent pass protector against NFL sub-packages, but the hand usage and punch are good. Mahogany is a downhill mauler who needs to continue technique work but also needs to play for a team that values the big power players and allows them to do what they do best in the run game. He has a chance to be a backup with upside early in his career.’’

Mahogany was the Lions final pick in the draft which set a record with more than 700,000 fans over three days in Detroit.

Lions 2024 draft picks:

First round — CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama

Second round — CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr, Missouri

Fourth round — OL Giovanni Manu, British Columbia

Fourth round — RB/ST Sione Vaki, Utah

Sixth round — DT Mekhi Wingo, LSU

Sixth round — G Christian Mahogany, Boston College

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.)