Monday, May 6, 2024

Lions Links for Monday Evening 5-6-24

Articles:



The lessons Brad Holmes taught in 2021 remain true after the 2024 NFL draft:  https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2024/05/06/lions-brad-holmes-2021-team-building-draft-lessons-2024-nfl-draft/



Terrion Arnold selection earned a top-10 draft grade in the first round:  https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2024/05/06/terrion-arnold-selection-earned-a-top-10-draft-grade-in-the-first-round/

Film Review: Giovanni Manu Has Very High Ceiling, Still Raw:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/giovanni-manu-film-review

Why Terrion Arnold Could Be 'Steal of the Draft':  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/terrion-arnold-steal-of-draft-lions

Burning Questions: Lions' Rookie Minicamp:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/rookie-minicamp-lions-burning-questions

Examining options for the future of the Detroit Lions offensive line:  https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2024/5/6/24147302/examining-options-future-detroit-lions-offensive-line


2024 NFL Draft: The best pick of every round, including T Amarius Mims and CB Cooper DeJean (ROUND 6
PICK 189. DETROIT LIONS VIA (HOUSTON, VIA DENVER, VIA L.A. RAMS AND BUFFALO): DI MEKHI WINGO, LSU.  This was a great spot to get Wingo, a good athlete for someone his size. His 84.9 run-defense grade since 2022 is the best among SEC defensive tackles in that span, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him develop into a good rotational player in Detroit.):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2024-nfl-draft-the-best-pick-of-every-round

One major 2024 NFL Draft takeaway for all 32 NFL teams (DETROIT LIONS: THEY’VE COMPLETED THE OVERHAUL OF THEIR BIGGEST WEAKNESS, THE SECONDARY.  Detroit ranked 30th in the NFL in coverage grade last season. They would have likely made the Super Bowl otherwise. So, the Lions started the offseason by adding veterans Carlton Davis and Amik Robertson, and they’ve now acquired two excellent rookies who make their cornerback unit incredibly viable.  Alabama’s Terrion Arnold adds a feisty presence to the secondary. Surely, head coach Dan Campbell loves Arnold's competitiveness after seeing him finish 2023 with five interceptions, 13 pass breakups and a 90.6 run-defense grade. Arnold’s ability to play inside or outside could play a pivotal role if the team is trying to use Brian Branch in a more traditional safety role. Detroit selected another outstanding SEC cornerback in Missouri’s Ennis Rakestraw Jr. Rakestraw also finished with an excellent run-defense grade last season (89.0). He is one of the best zone cornerbacks in this draft class and missed only three tackles last season. The Lions fixed their biggest flaw and now seem poised for a Super Bowl run in 2024.):  https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-one-major-2024-nfl-draft-takeaway-all-32-nfl-teams

2024 NFL Draft class rankings: Steelers, Bears, Eagles, Chargers earn top grades; Falcons flummox (16. Detroit Lions - Grade: B+ · Draft picks: 6. FILICE: Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell have a type, and their first two picks of this draft were straight out of central casting. Anyone who has come across Terrion Arnold knows he is one of this draft’s biggest energy-givers, the kind of gregarious presence every locker room needs during the grind of a season. As NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said after the Lions pounced on the cornerback via trade-up, “There’s guys that like football, there’s guys that love football, and then there’s Terrion Arnold.” Yup. You saw his exhilarating, draft-night introduction to the city of Detroit, right? But the former five-star safety recruit isn’t just a fun personality -- he’s a well-rounded defensive back offering just about everything you want at the position: size, physicality, ball skills, football IQ and irrational confidence. A 4.50-second 40-yard dash at the combine raised some questions about his long speed, but the play speed never appeared to be an issue at Alabama. And most notably with this particular Lions regime, Arnold plays with an undeniable edge. Just like Detroit’s second-round pick, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., who summed up his feisty game in a post-selection video chat with reporters: "I call myself the tone-setter. Our defense used to call me the firecracker of the team because, yeah, I'm a corner, but I'll come up and set that edge and hit you like a linebacker, and I like my presence to be felt when I'm out there." The Lions had a need at cornerback this offseason -- a need that only became more pressing after the release of Cameron Sutton. And in the draft, they found great value on a pair of alpha dogs who’ll fit in perfectly with the team’s gritty culture.  Now, in the middle rounds of the draft, it seemed like Holmes was feeling himself a little bit. And who can blame him? Over his first three drafts in Detroit, the GM uncovered a bevy of gems in Round 3 or beyond, including Amon-Ra St. Brown, Alim McNeill, Kerby Joseph, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Derrick Barnes. But Holmes was flexing in this year’s fourth round, selecting a Paul Bunyan-esque figure from the University of British Columbia (6-foot-7, 352-pound developmental tackle Giovanni Manu) and a two-way FOOTBALL PLAYER (RB/DB Sione Vaki). Both picks will probably hit and make me regret lampooning the logic. And to Holmes’ credit, he landed a couple nice value picks for trench depth in Round 6 (DT Mekhi Wingo and OG Christian Mahogany).):  https://www.nfl.com/news/2024-nfl-draft-class-rankings-steelers-bears-eagles-chargers-earn-top-grades-falcons-flummox

One key stat to know about each 2024 first-round pick (24. Terrion Arnold, Lions:  In his final two seasons at Alabama, Arnold recorded either an interception or a pass breakup on 19.8 percent of all targets thrown his way.):  https://draftwire.usatoday.com/lists/one-key-stat-to-know-about-each-2024-first-round-pick/

Posted by LionsFan at 6:56 PM

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