Beyond first-round pick Terrion Arnold, the Lions have a lot of project players on their hands. Who will see the field the most in year one?
The Detroit Lions selected one of the most pro-ready players in the draft in Terrion Arnold. He likely slots into the Lions’ first-team defensive backs rotation and will see the field plenty in his rookie season. Beyond him, though, the Lions went all in on project players for most of the rest of their picks. Who among them will see the field the most?
Question of the day: Which Lions rookie (not named Terrion Arnold) will play the most snaps in 2024?
To be clear, I am not including special teams snaps in this evaluation. I’m talking rookies with the biggest offensive or defensive roles.
In my eyes, the likely candidates are second-round pick Ennis Rakestraw and sixth-round picks Mekhi Wingo and Christian Mahogany. Rakestraw and Mahogany are probably the most ready to see the field, and Rakestraw could slot in (pun intended) against slot receivers in nickel looks.
Christian Mahogany is a very talented guard who I think will adjust well for a rookie. The issue for him is that guard isn’t a position where players rotate in and out, unless Matt Patricia is your coach. That means not a lot of opportunity for Mahogany. However, if history is any indicator, an injury to Frank Ragnow or Graham Glasgow could open up an opportunity for Mahogany to see the field. The Lions have struggled to stay healthy along the interior offensive line the last two years, so there’s a real shot Mahogany will see meaningful playing time.
Mekhi Wingo is sort of a wild card, much like the rest of the Lions’ interior defensive line. The Lions have solidified starters in Alim McNeill and DJ Reader. However, everyone else has a large question mark. If Wingo hits the ground running, he could easily slot in along the interior defensive line ahead of players like Josh Paschal, Levi Onwuzurike, and Brodric Martin. However, that’s a big if.
Ultimately, I think we see the most of Ennis Rakestraw, with Christian Mahogany in a close second. I simply don’t see a full 17 games out of each of the three starters along the interior offensive line.
Which rookies do you think will play the most snaps in 2024? Let us know in the comments.