The Detroit Lions suddenly found themselves relying significantly less on rookies in 2024-25 on their way to the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
The Lions had a much quieter 2024 draft class. Only a couple of rookies played consistently throughout the regular season, a stark contrast from last season which saw the rise of Jahmyr Gibbs, Brian Branch, Sam LaPorta and Jack Campbell.
In a season marred by injury, the team needed every healthy body they could get onto the field, but that didn’t necessarily translate to all of their rookies getting much playing time.
Let’s take a look at how the Lions’ rookies did during the regular season.
Terrion Arnold
The rookie with the most complete resume this season is their first-round pick.
Arnold played in 15 games at cornerback, starting all but one of those. With injuries decimating the Lions defense, he quickly became a key part of defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s schemes.
Arnold’s rookie season started out rocky — stacking up eight penalties in his first eight games. However, he’s only had three penalties called against him since Week 4, and has become a middle-of-the-pack corner which is more than the Lions could ask for following the season-ending injury to Carlton Davis.
Grade: B+
Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
The Lions took Rakestraw with their second-round pick in 2024 in an effort to keep building up their secondary.
Rakestraw played in eight games, but mainly on special teams before he was injured in November. He’d managed six total tackles on the season before being placed on Injured Reserve.
Given the current state of the Lions defense, it’s fair to say he could’ve gotten a few opportunities late in the season. However, it certainly hasn’t been the rookie season he would’ve hoped for to this point.
Grade: D
Giovanni Manu
The Lions came into 2024 with one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.
Unfortunately for 4th-round pick Giovanni Manu, that means a lot of time on the bench.
The Lions traded up in the draft to get Manu, however the presence of Dan Skipper even while Taylor Decker was out kept the rookie out of the lineup. With Skipper’s contract future up in the air for next season, 2025 may lead to more opportunities for Manu.
Grade: Incomplete
Sione Vaki
Another stacked position for the Lions is running back — not leaving much room for Vaki at this point.
He’s played primarily on special teams, but has gotten a few carries in blowout wins against the Jaguars and Cowboys. With Craig Reynolds as the primary third-string back, Vaki won’t be able to carve out much of a role in the offense.
However, he has gotten some consistent playing time on special teams, which is more than some rookies can say.
Grade: C-
Mekhi Wingo
The Lions have been desperate for help along the defensive line this season, but Wingo is one of many who finished the season on Injured Reserve.
Wingo was in the midst of breaking into significant playing time as a backup for DJ Reader before he went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 13’s win over the Bears. He finished his season with nine total tackles.
In limited opportunities, he made enough of an impact to earn a grade for his season, but he’ll certainly be looking for a bounce-back season in 2025.
Grade: D+
Christian Mahogany
Despite the strength of the Lions’ offensive line, sixth-round pick Christian Mahogany managed to get into the game in some meaningful spots during the regular season.
Mahogany played in seven games this season and made one key start in Week 16 to fill in for injured left guard Graham Glasgow against the Bears.
“It was solid,” head coach Dan Campbell said after the win. “[Mahogany] did some really good things, so there’s certainly something to continue to work with there and improve.”
Glasgow returned the following week and knocked Mahogany back down the depth chart, but the performance showed significant growth and the trust the coaches have in the rookie to step in when necessary.
Grade: C+
