Grades for every selection made by the Detroit Lions in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Lions 2024 NFL Draft Grades For Every Pick
Terrion Arnold – CB – First round (24th overall)
The Detroit Lions entered the 2024 NFL Draft with a major need at cornerback. Throughout the 2023 playoffs, the team relied on Cameron Sutton and Kindle Vildor as starters, which could be argued to have cost them the NFC Championship. The Lions wasted no time in the draft to address their biggest area of need.
Terrion Arnold was considered the finest cornerback prospect in the draft, along with Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell. Arnold is an athletic boundary corner who excels at man coverage.Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared Arnold to Marshon Lattimore, which pleased Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. The couple spent time with Lattimore in New Orleans and clearly feel like they have their own version of him in Arnold.
Due to circumstances, Arnold will begin working for Detroit immediately. Zierlein predicted Arnold may become a CB1 within a few years. That would be important for a Lions club looking to return to the playoffs in 2024.
Grade: A.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr. – CB, second round (61st overall)
Detroit doubled down on cornerbacks by selecting Rakestraw Jr. in the second round. Rakestraw Jr.’s calling cards are his aggressive press coverage, toughness, and willingness to step up and provide run support.
The additions of Arnold and Rakestraw Jr., combined with the acquisition of Carlton Davis III earlier this offseason, indicate that the Lions want to play a lot of man coverage in 2024.
Rakestraw Jr. is well positioned to become a starter for the Lions, maybe as early as this season.
Grade: B.
Giovanni Manu – T, fourth round (126th overall)
Manu attended the University of British Columbia and played collegiate football. He did not attract much attention from NFL teams until later in the pre-draft process, when he was inundated with inquiries. Although he has not yet faced high-level opposition, his stature (6’7″ 350lbs) is impressive. Manu is the ideal type of developmental tackle for a Lions team that enjoys running the ball. Good pick, although the trade-up lowers the grade significantly.
Grade: C.
Sione Vaki – RB/S, fourth round (132nd overall)
Vaki is one of the most intriguing prospects in the whole draft. He primarily played safety in college and is described as a productive tackler who flies to the ball. Some of his fundamentals are very deficient, limiting his potential as a safety. However, the Lions drafted him to play running back, which he excelled at in college. Vaki is a player that has the potential to contribute in all three phases for the Lions.
Grade: C+
Mekhi Wingo – DT, sixth round (189th overall)
Wingo is a massive defensive tackle who projects as a strong run stuffer. However, GM Brad Holmes has stated that he grew impressed with Wingo’s pass-rushing abilities later in the process. It’ll be intriguing to see how he fits into the long-term strategy at tackle. The current depth chart at the positions is packed, with Alim McNeill and D.J. Reader projected to start and Levi Onwuzurike and Brodric Martin competing for a roster place.
Grade: B-
Christian Mahogany – G – Sixth round (210th overall)
Mahogany is a large, powerful guard who lacks consistency. When it comes to run blocking, he is a mauler, and his pulling guard tape is pretty good. This fits well with Detroit’s offence, which frequently employs pin-and-pull runs as well as about every other type of run concept in the book. There’s little question that they’ll find a good method to use Mahogany in specific packaging right quickly.
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