The Detroit Lions made an aggressive move in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft with their trade up to No. 24 overall for cornerback Terrion Arnold.
Detroit now has one less Day 2 pick after giving up a third-rounder on top of their No. 29 overall pick in the deal with the Dallas Cowboys, but it's a move the team can afford with a Super Bowl-caliber roster.
Arnold now figures to take the starting spot opposite Carlton Davis and should bolster Detroit's secondary moving forward.
Here's how experts graded the pick:
2024 NFL Draft grades
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: A
The Lions tried to upgrade their cornerback situation last offseason and their veteran moves, including Cameron Sutton, didn’t work out. They are doing it better, adding the ballhawking of Arnold to complement former Buccaneer Carlton Davis. Detroit found its priority missing defensive missing piece with an immediate-impact playmaker for Aaron Glenn.
Chad Reuter, NFL.com: B+
Analysis: The release of Cameron Sutton kept the cornerback position high on the team's need list. Therefore, it was no surprise they made a trade with the Cowboys to move up for Arnold, one of the best defenders in college football last season. He blanketed pass catchers inside and outside for the Tide while also offering physicality in run support. Considered a potential top-12 pick for much of the pre-draft process, he presented good value at No. 24, but we'll see if trading a third-rounder to Dallas instead of waiting for Arnold's former teammate, Kool-Aid McKinstry or Nate Wiggins later in the round would have made more sense.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY: A
Here are your flowers, Brad Holmes. One year after the Lions general manager was roundly criticized for going against the grain with his first-round selections, Holmes makes a pick that deserves instant applause. Arnold is hypercompetitive and seems like the kind of cornerback Dan Campbell would make in a lab. He could be a stabilizing piece in a Detroit secondary that continued to be thrown into flux after Cam Sutton's domestic violence case and subsequent release. And what better way to follow up last year's hit with Brian Branch than by taking another hard-nosed, underrated Crimson Tide defensive back?
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: B
The Lions needed some corner help, so it makes sense to make a move to get one. Arnold gives them another Alabama secondary player to go with Brian Branch, another player with versatility.
Rob Rang, FOX Sports: B
A former safety who still plays with the physicality you'd expect at that position, Arnold is perhaps the perfect match of this year's cornerback class for Dan Campbell and the suddenly hyper-aggressive Lions. Arnold is the latest of the great Alabama defensive backs, tying for the SEC lead in pass breakups (17) and interceptions (five) this past season. He should only get better behind a formidable Detroit pass rush.
Pro Football Focus: Very good
Detroit trades up to acquire the 14th-ranked player on PFF big board in Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold, who is an alpha presence in the secondary who plays with a fearless mentality. He led all SEC cornerbacks in interceptions and pass breakups in 2023. He also led the conference with a 90.6 PFF run-defense grade. Detroit has officially overhauled their cornerback room with the additions of Arnold, Carlton Davis and Amik Robertson.
Brent Sobleski, Bleacher Report: B
The Lions weren't willing to gamble on Arnold falling to the 29th overall pick, so they traded up for him. They gave up a third-round pick to do so, but they got their guy to pair with Carlton Davis III, whom they acquired in a trade from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this offseason.
Detroit's 27th-ranked pass defense from last season should be drastically improved this fall.
