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The Detroit Lions had one of their best seasons ever last year and certainly their best season in a very long time. The Lions won the NFC North and hosted a home playoff game last season against the Los Angeles Rams. It was the first playoff win for the Lions in over 30 years, and they got another home playoff game and win after that against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was a great season, and the players that Detroit picked in the 2023 NFL Draft helped them out a lot.
A lot of people questioned Brad Holmes and the Lions after the 2023 NFL Draft because of some of their picks, specifically early on. Two picks that people question because of how early they were taken were Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta. Holmes ended up looking like a genius after the season because of how well those two rookies ended up playing. They were two of the best rookies in the entire league, and it really showed that Holmes is one of the best GMs in the NFL. That rookie class was crucial to the success that the Lions found last season, and they will be crucial going forward as well. Detroit has a great young core of players.
Those rookies last season were not only huge during the regular season, but they stepped up big time in the playoffs for the Lions as well. It was impressive to see from players that had never been on that stage before. There was no moment that was too big for them, and they played a crucial role in the playoff run that Detroit went on.
After taking down the Rams and the Buccaneers, the Lions were just one win away from going to the Super Bowl. They hit the road to take on the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game, and Detroit came out firing on all cylinders. The Lions dominated the first half and they found themselves with a 17-point lead in the third quarter of the game. Unfortunately for Detroit, things began to unravel after that.
The Lions 17-point lead quickly vanished after a 49ers touchdown followed by an immediate Detroit fumble. San Francisco eventually got the lead and they never looked back, and they ended up going to the Super Bowl. It was a tough way for the season to end for the Lions, but it was still very promising and the future is looking bright.
Lions fans had been waiting for a season like that for a long time, and the city of Detroit needed it badly. The Lions seem poised for success next season as well, and the future as a whole looks bright after their deep playoff run. Detroit has never won a Super Bowl, so while last year was great, the next step is getting over the hump and bringing that trophy back to the Motor City for the first time.
The rookie class was huge for the Lions last season, and they now have their next set of youngsters coming in as the 2024 NFL Draft was last week in Detroit. Lions fan showed out all week and showed how much they care about this team as they broke the record for day one NFL Draft attendance and total NFL Draft attendance. These fans are great, and they are hungry to see their team get to top of the NFL.
After the masterclass that Brad Holmes and co put on last year with their NFL Draft picks, Lions fans are excited to see how their new rookies are going to fare in the NFL. Detroit got some good guys, and here are their three best moves from last week’s NFL Draft.
Trading up to get Terrion Arnold
The fact that the Lions ended up with Terrion Arnold as their first pick in the NFL Draft is huge. Detroit was one of the best teams in the league last year, so their first pick in the NFL Draft was supposed to be at #29. They traded up to #24 because Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold was somehow still on the board. Not many people were expecting him to drop that far, and the Lions certainly weren’t. When he was still available, they knew that they needed to move up a little bit to get their guy. Arnold at 24 feels like a bit of a steal, and he is a great addition to that Detroit secondary.
Not everything was perfect last season for the Lions, and one area that was a struggle was the secondary. That is the area that needs to improve the most this offseason, and getting Terrion Arnold is a huge help. Detroit has also made some other moves this offseason to bring over help for the secondary, and the unit should be looking a lot better next season.
Selecting Ennis Rakestraw at 61
The Lions got more secondary help with Missouri CB Ennis Rakestraw in the second round. This is another good pick for Detroit and it shows that they are really focusing on the issues that the secondary had last season. Brad Holmes said that Rakestraw has dawg “exuding” from him when he was discussing the pick. That has to make Lions fans extremely excited.
Detroit knew that their secondary was their biggest weakness and they attacked that weakness before the NFL Draft and they attacked the weakness with their first two picks in the draft as well. Good work from the Lions.
Selecting Sione Vaki at 132
This pick is certainly one of the more intriguing ones that the Lions had last week at the NFL Draft. Sione Vaki played in the secondary at Utah just like those two other picks that we discussed, but he was also a running back for the Utes. Vaki brings a lot of versatility to the table and he should be an exciting player to watch for the Lions.
Overall this feels like it was a pretty good draft for the Lions, and their fans are feeling confident after the way their rookies turned out last year. We’ll see if the Detroit rookies can have another special season next year.
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