Should Detroit Lions avoid CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. in the 2024 NFL Draft?

Should Detroit Lions avoid CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. in the 2024 NFL Draft?

The Detroit Lions have a multitude of avenues they can take with their first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which comes at No. 29 overall.

But one avenue they should not be taking, according to Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine, is drafting Missouri cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr., who we actually mocked to Detroit in our latest seven-round mock draft, but in the second round. Here’s Ballentine’s argument against taking Rakestraw.

But there are concerns, too. For one, Giddings noted that Rakestraw has a tendency to “get too handsy,” which can lead to pass interference calls. That could be even more pronounced in the NFL, where he’s going to face bigger receivers on a regular basis.

Overall, Rakestraw eventually might be limited to the slot only. That’s not a great outcome for a first-round pick.

It’s true that Rakestraw might be limited to the slot at the next level, which wouldn’t be of much help to Detroit with the presence of Brian Branch. That said, most projections have him playing on the boundary, a spot the Lions should add depth to, at the very least.

But Ballentine is correct in stating the Lions should not be taking Rakestraw in the first round. That is simply too early for a player who should be a Day 2 pick instead, whether that be in the second or third round.

Detroit has a pair of Day 2 picks, with one in the second round (No. 61) and one in the third round (No. 73). Both figure to be realistic spots to land the 5-foot-11, 183-pound Missouri cornerback, with the former being more likely.