Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images Grading the Detroit Lions’ selection of Missouri CB Ennis Rakestraw in the 2024 NFL Draft. With the 61st overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions selected Missouri CB Ennis Rakestraw. That makes two cornerbacks selected by the Lions through two picks in the draft thus far. Brad Holmes is making sure of one thing: the back end of this Lions defense is going to be completely overhauled in 2024. My grade: B Rakestraw is a very physical corner who plays larger than his size, which isn’t astounding at 5-foot-11 and 183 pounds. However, he brings a lot of attitude and doesn’t shy away from matching up with receivers that dwarf him in size, especially at the line of scrimmage. His name picked up a lot of steam through the month of February and leading into the NFL Combine in March. Rakestraw had a very middling performance at the Combine due to a groin injury, and the hype train seemed to die down. Although he was expected to come in undersized, concerns about his light weight intensified once there was a number attached to it. Rakestraw also posted an unimpressive 40-yard dash time of 4.51 seconds. Ennis Rakestraw Jr. is a CB prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored a 6.17 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 948 out of 2472 CB from 1987 to 2024. https://t.co/OxvPHvCyjj pic.twitter.com/wqxoNmVceP— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 26, 2024 On the flipside, Rakestraw put up a tremendous 10-yard split, which matches up with his ability on film to keep hip-to-hip with almost any receiver close to the line of scrimmage. It also came to light that Rakestraw went through drills at the combine with the aforementioned groin injury, which could have hampered a lot of his speed and agility. That leaves us with a lot more questions than answers when it comes to what kind of athlete the Lions are getting in Rakestraw. What’s certain is that Rakestraw is a very physical player, and can help compensate for his undersized frame with that style of play. He brings an attitude that matches what the Lions are looking for, and will fit the culture well. Ultimately, I think Rakestraw will need considerable time to mature into the pace of the NFL, especially compared to a more pro-ready player like Terrion Arnold. However, the Lions’ packed defensive backs room likely means Rakestraw will spend much of his rookie year on the sideline and step into a larger role in year two, especially if Carlton Davis (who has just a year left on his contract) ends up just being a rental. It’s a solid pick from Brad Holmes, one that commits the Lions to an overhauled secondary in 2024. The Lions get a guy who was carrying first-round steam in the offseason at the back-end of the second-round, and the team’s depth gives Rakestraw time to develop at a position that has one of the steepest learning curves in the NFL. On the flipside, there are almost as many questions as answers when it comes to what kind of player Rakestraw will be in the NFL, especially given the circumstances of his combine performance. I like this pick, but I’ll need to see more before I can love this pick.