It’s safe to believe the Detroit Lions will choose a cornerback later this week; it’s just a matter of when. Fortunately for them and other clubs in need of cornerbacks, there is a deep class at the position with a variety of choices based on scheme fit, physical profile, and so on.
There aren’t many cornerbacks the Lions should avoid in the draft, given how their draft board is set up and how individual players match or don’t suit what they’re looking for. The line between individuals they’d consider drafting and those they wouldn’t select in specific positions appears to be hazy, with decisions made on razor-thin margins.
A surprising prospect called one that the Lions should avoid in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine has identified a candidate that every team should avoid in the 2024 draft. Ballentine chose Missouri cornerback Ennis Rakestraw over B/R’s Ryan Fowler for the Lions’ first-round pick, despite his apparent strong decision.
“Ennis Rakestraw III is one of the most polarising cornerback prospects in this year’s class. Rakestraw is projected to be a first-round choice in over 25% of mock drafts, but he is placed 97th overall on our big board. That is hardly an ideal outcome for a first-round choice.”
-Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report.
Rakestraw’s selection as the Lions’ 29th choice has seen an increase in consecutive mock drafts, following initial excitement over his potential match. His physicality and prowess as a tackler bolster the fit, and the notion that he has a tendency to get “too handsy” (via B/R’s Cory Giddings) is not supported by penalties (three in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus, but in only nine games due to a core muscle injury).
Ballentine suggested Oregon’s Khyree Jackson and Iowa State’s T.J. Tampa as preferable options for the Lions over Rakestraw. Jackson is one of my favourite cornerbacks in this year’s class, and he’s a Day 2 or Day 3 pick.
Based on everything (including draft capital investment), Rakestraw’s college classmate Kris Abrams-Draine appears to be a stronger cornerback fit for the Lions. However, saying people to completely shun Rakestraw is a bit extreme.
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