Detroit Lions rookies Ennis Rakestraw, Terrion Arnold hope to be 'force to be reckoned with'

They could be the future of the Detroit Lions secondary, and for a weekend at least, they'll be the present.

Top draft picks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. will be front and center when the Lions host their three-day rookie minicamp from Friday to Sunday in Allen Park.

Lions general manager Brad Holmes said Arnold and Rakestraw were the two highest-rated defensive backs on the Lions' draft board, and both are expected to compete for playing time this fall.

Asked draft night what sort of tandem he thought he and Arnold would make in the NFL, Rakestraw said, "A force to be reckoned with."

"We’re going to fit the culture," Rakestraw said. "We’re going to leave it like how we found — better than we found it, or even as much as we found it. They’ve already established their DNA which was almost close to being in the Super Bowl. It’s already there, we’re just happy to learn from those guys and keep the train moving.”

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The Lions traded up to take Arnold with the 24th pick of the first round and used a second-round choice, No. 61 overall, on Rakestraw.

Arnold played both outside and slot cornerback at Alabama last season, when he earned first-team All-American honors and tied for the SEC lead with five interceptions.

Rakestraw also has inside-out experience, and was considered one of the toughest cornerbacks in the draft.

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All rookies and select first-year and tryout players attend camp as an introduction to NFL life, the team and the 2024 season. Players attend meetings and practice without pads, and Arnold and Rakestraw could take the field together for the first time as teammates.

Rakestraw underwent core muscle surgery after Missouri's season and the Lions could elect to bring him along slowly this spring. He returned in time to take part in the NFL combine and his school's pro day, but told reporters after his pro day he still was not 100% healthy.

"We didn’t go into (the draft) saying that we were going to get two corners in the first two rounds," Holmes said. "We really didn’t, it’s just (Rakestraw) was the best, he was the highest-graded guy for us at the time so we went ahead and you know how we roll. We went ahead and got him. But those were also our top-two ranked corners as well. And, look, it’s an all-things-considered process, not just stats and highlights. It’s a lot of things that’s involved in those rankings, but we’re just thrilled because they’re all the same in terms of they both fit us like a glove. They’re both gritty, physical, challenge-mentality kind of guys."

Holmes said after the draft he expected "a bloodbath" of a competition for playing time in the secondary this fall with Arnold and Rakestraw joining a unit that's been largely overhauled since last season.

The Lions cut top cornerback Cam Sutton for off-field reasons and let Jerry Jacobs, who started 12 games last season before falling out of the rotation, walk in free agency. They added two potential veteran starters in March in Carlton Davis III (via trade) and Amik Robertson (in free agency).

Rakestraw said he is looking forward to working with Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and secondary coach DeShea Townsend, both former NFL players, in the coming months. He had just one interception in his four seasons at Missouri and acknowledged he needs to be more productive on the ball.

"I had one interception, so you can say that’s not ball skills, but the PBUs (pass breakups) that I make, you can tell that I’m judging the ball," he said. "There’s never been a time where I jumped too early or anything, it’s just me needing to be on the jugs a little bit more. Some of my PBUs could’ve been interceptions when I watched film so just fixing my technique and staying sharp. And as I do that, I feel like I’m going to have more interceptions. I’m going to be more effective in the league on that aspect of the game that I was in college because now I know exactly what I need to work on, and I’ve been working with a trainer who has been helping me with my movements.”

Arnold said he plans to come in "eager to learn and eager to develop" in a veteran secondary where he is projected to make an immediate impact.

"With Detroit, the next jump is winning the Super Bowl," he said. "I feel like the reason why they brought me in here is to help them take that next step."

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on X and Instagram at @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions rookie minicamp: How quick will top two corners fit in?