The Detroit Lions made several additions to their cornerbacks room during the 2024 offseason, with one of them being the selection of Terrion Arnold following a trade up in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Arnold was widely considered one of the two best corners in this year's class and is expected to take the starting role opposite Carlton Davis on defense. The hope is that he can develop into the true lockdown corner he's projected to be, and sooner rather than later for a Lions team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
Considering he's in for a big role in his first season, Arnold was recently named to the "2024 All-Rookie Team" compiled by Chad Reuter of NFL.com, who projects the Alabama product as an "instant-impact newcomer."
Cornerback was the top need in the draft for the Lions, who were willing to move up for Arnold when he was still available at No. 24. He can combine with veteran trade acquisition Carlton Davis and second-rounder Ennis Rakestraw Jr. to help fortify the position. I expect Arnold to attack the ball for Detroit, likely intercepting and breaking up multiple passes as quarterbacks test the rookie, with his former Alabama teammate, Brian Branch, handling nickel duties.
The Lions sported one of the worst pass defenses in the league last season, ranking 27th. But that should drastically improve with the players general manager Brad Holmes added, making the Lions even more formidable in 2024.
