The Lions’ 2024 draft class looked cooked 3 weeks ago. Now it could be the thing that saves Detroit’s season and maybe gets them to the Super Bowl
Ennis Rakestraw, Sione Vaki and Christian Mahogany entered the season with very different questions hanging over them. Three weeks later, each could be solving a major Lions problem.
I’m going to say something I never thought I would say. The 2024 Detroit Lions draft class could save the Detroit Lions in 2026 and could potentially push them over the hump for a Super Bowl run.
Yes, I said it. Out loud. I know it sounds crazy. Three weeks ago, I would have told you the entire 2024 class was cooked. I did tell you that. Sione Vaki was going to be a special teams contributor, and that was his ceiling. Christian Mahogany was about to get replaced. Ennis Rakestraw was a healthy scratch the first two weeks of the season. Everything has flipped. Let me explain why.
Before I get into the specifics, let me clarify something. I’m saying that if these things continue to happen, the 2024 Lions draft class is the savior of this team. I’m not saying I believe 100% they’re already there or that they will 100% get there. With that in mind, let’s break it down.
Ennis Rakestraw could solve the cornerback problem
The Detroit Lions have a serious cornerback problem right now. We all know that. Rakestraw had a pretty good game against New York. I went back and watched all 15 of his snaps in pass coverage, and I was blown away. He looked really good, to the point where I started thinking about him as a starter. What if he’s a starter opposite D.J. Reed?
If Rakestraw gets good enough, the Lions don’t need to make a trade. That saves draft picks and assets. Part of me says make the trade just to be safe, but if Rakestraw keeps getting better, you don’t need it.
I get it with D.J. Reed. He’s given up some explosives. But I think fans are focusing too much on the times he got burned and not enough on the reality that every cornerback gets burned a few times. It just happens. He played a good game against Buffalo. The New York game was against Garrett Wilson. The Saints game was against Chris Olave. Those are two really good receivers, and you’re not going to face guys like that every week.
Here’s the thing with Rakestraw. The reason he hasn’t played much has not been that he wasn’t good. It’s been injuries. When he has played, there’s been stuff to believe in. We’re talking about 46 snaps before this Jets game. He’s essentially a rookie. But if he can be a good rookie, that changes things. You’re saving draft assets, you’re saving the Lions secondary, and you’re saving a defense that is showing up in other areas but struggling in one crucial place.
Sione Vaki is becoming what Isiah Pacheco was supposed to be
I came away from that Jets game thinking I finally get it with Sione Vaki. Isiah Pacheco is probably never going to play for the Lions. His injury is reportedly going to keep him out until December, and then the Lions usually have a two- to three-week ramp-up period. Maybe he plays in a playoff game, but at that point, you should be pretty good to go with what you’ve already got.
Vaki showed on Sunday that he can handle the pass protection stuff Pacheco was expected to do, the stuff David Montgomery struggled with. He can do enough in the run game to get Jahmyr Gibbs off the field for a couple of beats. The lower-the-shoulder, hard-nosed yards. He had a nice 11-yard catch for a first down against the Jets too. I only see that role growing.
More importantly, Vaki protects Jared Goff. The two sacks Goff took against the Jets were both credited to Gibbs. They were coming from Gibbs’ side because defenses know Gibbs can’t pick up pass protection. Gibbs can run, he can catch, he is an unbelievable playmaker, but he cannot block. That’s his weakness, and that’s fine. Vaki can. That just makes the offense more complete.
Christian Mahogany is balling out at guard
All Mahogany has to do is keep doing what he’s doing. Right now he is the 6th highest-graded guard in the league per Pro Football Focus with a 79.6 grade. He’s playing unbelievable football.
For the first time in his short career, he’s being balanced. An 88.8 pass-block grade is second among all guards in the league. His run-blocking grade sits at 72.1, which is 15th. Middle of the road, sure, but this is the first time I’ve seen Mahogany grade out well in two areas at the same time. He’s either been really good at pass blocking and bad at run blocking, or the reverse. Right
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