Terrion Arnold injury highlights struggles of Lions' 2024 draft class

The Detroit Lions under general manager Brad Holmes turned the franchise around with great coaching and excellent draft classes.

Including their first draft under Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell in 2021, the Lions have drafted six Pro Bowlers, and three All-Pro players. However, the 2024 draft class doesn't look as promising after a year and half.

Detroit hosted the 2024 NFL Draft, setting a record for the highest attendance in the draft's history. The Lions were coming off of their first playoff wins in more than 30 years and an NFC Championship appearance, so there was an added element of expectation that hadn't been present for decades.

Now more than a season and a half removed from their selections, the players Holmes selected in 2024 haven't lived up to the standard set by the classes before them.

Terrion Arnold

The Lions traded up from No. 29 to No. 24, sending a 2025 seventh-round pick to the Dallas Cowboys in order to draft Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold. The Lions struggled at CB the year prior, and Arnold was expected to be the missing piece to a Super Bowl-ready team.

He had a difficult rookie season, grading below league average for a corner and turning in a handful of head-scratching plays and penalties along the way. He didn't get any favors from a Lions pass rush that has struggled significantly for the last two seasons.

Arnold has had a tumultuous sophomore season, appearing in only eight games while dealing with injuries, and landing on injured reserve after Week 13. His play between the injuries didn't show much as far as improvement on 2024.

The Cowboys took those picks from the Lions and turned them into starters on their offensive line in Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe.

Ennis Rakestraw Jr.

The Lions spent their 2024 second-round pick on Missouri cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. Taking a corner in two consecutive rounds was expected to beef up the Lions CB room for the foreseeable future.

Rakestraw played only 46 snaps in his rookie season, dealing with an ankle injury to start the season and landing on injured reserve with a hamstring injury later on. He'd ultimately injure his shoulder and get season-ending surgery before his 2025 season even began.

Giovanni Manu

The Lions traded away their third-round pick to acquire Carlton Davis from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That pick would become wide receiver Jalen McMillan who had a solid rookie season but has missed all of 2025 so far with an injury.

The Lions then traded their 2025 third-round pick to the New York Jets to draft British Columbia tackle Giovanni Manu in the fourth round of the 2024 draft. Manu has been called on a couple of times to fill in for Taylor Decker, but otherwise hasn't been a factor on this team.

He was placed on injured reserve ahead of the Lions' Week 6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this season. There's a chance for him to return to the field before the end of the season, but as long as Decker is healthy, he will continue to be a non-factor.

Sione Vaki

The Lions wrapped up the fourth round by picking up a two-way athlete out of Utah in Sione Vaki. The Lions utilized Vaki primarily on special teams in his rookie season, and he excelled as an athlete of his caliber should in that role.

He's officially listed as the Lions' third-string running back, but his only impact in 2025 has been on special teams. Vaki has been dealing with various injuries throughout the season, missing the majority of the season through Week 13.

Mekhi Wingo

The Lions picked LSU defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo in the sixth round, adding depth to their defensive line. Wingo was a solid part of the Lions rotation early in his rookie season, but suffered a knee injury around the same time that the rest of the Lions defense was falling by the wayside in 2024.

Wingo underwent knee surgery last summer and played 37 snaps in the Lions' Week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers, but hasn't seen the field since. In October, head coach Dan Campbell spoke about working Wingo back into the rotation, but that hasn't happened through Week 13 with the returns of Alim McNeill and DJ Reader.

Christian Mahogany

Later in the sixth round, the Lions picked up Boston College guard Christian Mahogany. The Lions brought Mahogany in to add depth behind guards Graham Glasgow and Kevin Zeitler.

However, Mahogany missed the start of his rookie season with mono, not appearing until a handful of special teams snaps in late November. He was then thrust into a one-game starting job when Zietler was injured before the Lions' Week 16 matchup with the Bears. Mahogany played well in that game as well as another spot start in the playoffs.

Mahogany was projected to take over full-time at guard with Glasgow aging and Zietler leaving in free agency. Frank Ragnow's retirement shifted Glasgow to center, ultimately making Mahogany's new role that much more important.

Mahogany has been just a part of the Lions struggles along the offensive line in 2025 before an injury knocked him out of the lineup. He was placed on injured reserve on Nov. 5, giving way to Kayode Awosika, who's struggled in his stead.

This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Terrion Arnold injury highlights struggles of Lions' 2024 draft class