The Detroit Lions’ 2024 draft class had its first taste of NFL action earlier this month at rookie minicamp in Allen Park.
The rookies are now participating in OTAs, with training camp and the preseason soon to follow. This time will be crucial for their development. It’ll tell us how ready they are to contribute, and how much time they’ll need before they crack the starting lineup.
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Three years ago, many players in a draft haul like this would be immediate starters. That’s not the case now, which is a good thing. It’s a product of how far the roster has come.
“We have a deep roster, so it’s gonna be a lot of competition here,” Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew told reporters a few weeks ago. “And our veterans, they ain’t gonna give up nothing. These guys (are) gonna have to earn everything they got. I don’t care where you were drafted at. You’re gonna have to earn everything you got.”
With that in mind, let’s project when the newest Lions will see the field, and their roles in 2024 and beyond.
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CB Terrion Arnold
Pick: Round 1, No. 24
Looking for a sign of how far this Lions roster has come? The team addressed its biggest need by drafting a player widely regarded as the No. 1 cornerback in the class, and he might not even start immediately. Of course, Arnold might have something to say about that.
Whether Arnold takes the field with the starters in Week 1 is entirely up to him. Carlton Davis III already locked one job down, but the spot opposite of him is there for the taking. The Lions talk glowingly about free-agent addition Amik Robertson, which gives them the luxury of bringing Arnold along slowly. At the same time, if Arnold is one of the two best cornerbacks, they won’t sit him. This staff does a good job of recognizing when players are ready for their opportunities.
One thing I’ve noticed about Arnold is that he feeds off adversity. When he lost a starting job at Alabama, he said he’d never let it happen again. The fact that he is now in a battle for a starting gig in the NFL could be all the motivation he needs. We’ll have to see if he’s ready for the pace and talent of the NFL in training camp, but for what it’s worth, Arnold is already thinking like an NFL corner.
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“If my mom was out here right now and she lined up across from me as a receiver, I would jam her into the dirt,” Arnold said during rookie camp. “That’s my mindset.”
Projection: Week 1 starter.
CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
Pick: Round 2, No. 61
The Lions made a significant investment in their secondary during the draft, using a pair of premium picks on cornerbacks Arnold and Rakestraw. At rookie minicamp, Rakestraw played outside cornerback and nickel. His inside-outside versatility could help him get playing time sooner rather than later. At the nickel position, his instincts and tackling ability could allow him to see the field early, and his lack of top-end speed could play better inside.
Of course, the nickel position is manned by Brian Branch — the wild card here. The Lions have discussed moving Branch to safety at various times this offseason. Remember last year when it looked like C.J. Gardner-Johnson would be the team’s starting nickel, only for Branch to impress in training camp and force Gardner-Johnson to safety? That could be Branch and Rakestraw this year.
To me, this is all about fielding the best five defensive backs. If Rakestraw is one of them out of the gate, and the Lions believe Branch is a top-two safety, they’ll make room. Until then, he’s high-quality depth.
Projection: Reserve to start; starter by late 2024/2025.
GO DEEPER
Players to watch at Lions OTAs: Carlton Davis III, Jameson Williams and the rookies
T/G Giovanni Manu
Pick: Round 4, No. 126
The more you hear about Manu, the easier it is to understand why the Lions traded up for him. He scheduled 11 top-30 visits and drew significant interest after word of his pro day workout spread. He has elite size and movement skills that make him a project worth investing in. Factor in his no-nonsense approach and work ethic, and there’s reason to believe he could reach his ceiling and become a starting tackle one day. He has a lot of work to do before then, but the foundation is there.
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It sounds like the Lions like the idea of cross-training Manu at guard and tackle, and that’s important context when evaluating when he might see the field. At tackle, he’d likely need more time to develop and could be blocked by Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker — if the team re-signs Decker next offseason. At guard, there’s an easier path to playing time. Starting right guard Kevin Zeitler is a free agent in 2025, and putting Manu next to Sewell and Frank Ragnow is about as good a situation as you could ask for. He could still provide depth and be a long-term answer at tackle, too, depending on how he develops and how long Decker remains a Lion.
Agnew said Manu can bend well enough to play guard and has the desired length and athleticism to play tackle. Wherever he ends up, the Lions believe he has the tools to be something.
“What better place to come in and learn how to be an offensive tackle in the National Football League than playing behind Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker?” Agnew said. “You watch his feet, his athletic ability, the way he competed, the way he finished blocks … it’s like, man, this guy’s got some stuff. … He’s a Lion. He’s a Lion football player. He’s built the way we want, he’s the type of player, he’s wired right. I mean, this kid’s gonna work his butt off.”
Projection: Reserve guard/tackle in 2024; potential starter in 2025.
RB/DB Sione Vaki
Pick: Round 4, No. 132
Agnew said the Lions initially scouted Vaki as a safety and thought he was pretty good. Then Utah moved him to running back, and the Lions saw how natural he was as a runner and a receiver out of the backfield. Agnew said the more chances Vaki got to play running back, the more he improved. It forced them to switch their evaluation from defense to offense.
“We got intrigued by the guy,” Agnew said. “We had a chance to get him and we think this guy’s gonna be a weapon for us. He’s gonna be a heck of a football player, he’s gonna bring a lot to the table special teams-wise. He’s got a chance as a running back.”
Vaki’s role at this point seems clear. While safety is always an option down the road, Vaki will begin his career at running back with a clearly defined role on special teams. The Lions see untapped potential as a runner and plus value on special teams. It’s easy to roll your eyes at the latter mention, but with the NFL’s new kickoff return system, Vaki could be an impact return man with his ability to break tackles (20 missed tackles forced on 42 carries, per PFF). If an injury happens at running back, he could step in as a complementary back. If the Lions can find a trusted kicker, they might have one of the better special teams units in the league.
Projection: Immediate special teams ace/third-string running back in 2024.
GO DEEPER
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DT Mekhi Wingo
Pick: Round 6, No. 189
One thing that’s clear: Agnew loves Wingo. A former NFL defensive lineman who spent much of his career in St. Louis, Agnew can relate to Wingo. Wingo is a St. Louis native, and Agnew said kids from the area have “some toughness to them” — something he remembered from Jameson Williams’ evaluation. Wingo played football at De Smet Jesuit, the same school from which Agnew’s kids graduated. Its motto is “Men for and with others,” which is something Agnew said Wingo lives by. Agnew highlighted the fact that Wingo wore No. 18 at LSU — given to a high-character individual on the team. And of course, he discussed his potential as a smaller, disruptive defensive tackle with a chip on his shoulder.
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The Lions are set with Alim McNeill and DJ Reader entrenched as starters. But they needed more interior pass-rush juice, which is something Wingo can certainly provide out of the gate. He recorded the second-fastest 40 time (4.85) among defensive tackles at the combine, and the fastest 10-yard split (1.64). If the Lions re-sign McNeill as expected and Brodric Martin cements himself as the nose tackle of the future, it could be hard for Wingo to find a starting role. But a rotational piece in the sixth round who was viewed as a top-100 prospect and can push the pocket is still excellent value.
Projection: Immediate rotational three-tech in 2024.
G Christian Mahogany
Pick: Round 6, No. 210
Mahogany, ranked No. 99 on Dane Brugler’s big board before the draft, fell all the way to pick No. 210, right into the Lions’ lap. A ready-made guard with three years of starting experience from college, Mahogany might be more of a finished product than his 2024 draft peers. He just happens to play a position loaded with talent already.
Because of the moving pieces of the position, it’s hard to determine exactly where Mahogany fits. There will be a battle for the right guard spot next year if Zeitler isn’t re-signed, and it could come down to Manu, Mahogany and 2023 fifth-rounder Colby Sorsdal. Left guard Graham Glasgow just re-signed with the team this offseason, but the Lions have added some good young depth in case his game declines with age. No matter how it shakes out, this is a top-100 talent the Lions landed at No. 210. Viewed as a tough finisher who “plays like a bouncer outside of a club,” per Brugler, Mahogany could have a chip on his shoulder after falling in the draft. Even better for the Lions.
Projection: Reserve guard in 2024; potential starting guard in 2025.
(Top photo of Terrion Arnold, left, and Brandon Joseph: Junfu Han / USA Today)
