The Detroit Lions were direct and decisively tackled their cornerback need last offseason. Following the trade for Carlton Davis and the signing of Amik Robertson, they reinforced their strategy with their first two draft selections by choosing Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw.
Injuries disrupted Rakestraw’s debut season, while Arnold was plunged straight into the figurative blaze. He participated in more man coverage snaps than any cornerback in the league (307), and it required either blowout victories or an injury for him to be on the field for less than 90 percent of the Lions’ defensive snaps in a game.
Every bit of experience from his inaugural season will advantage Arnold. He addressed his early penalty problems, receiving only three flags in the last 14 games (including the playoff match). Though some metrics didn’t consistently reflect it, he got better as the season progressed.
As the Lions were emptying their lockers following the playoff defeat to the Commanders, Arnold remarked, “I’m confident I’ll be the top corner in the league very soon.”
A 2025 emergence from Terrion Arnold could be particularly vital for the Lions.
It has become quite clear who the Lions’ leading breakout candidate for the upcoming season is, as Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus accurately highlighted Arnold as the top early breakout prospect for 2025.
Arnold played a role in creating an intriguing Detroit draft class, yet his inaugural year as a Lion was less exciting than expected. His 50.4 PFF coverage score placed him 12th worst out of 117 corners with 300 or more snaps, and his 10 penalties ranked seventh most at the position. However, Arnold stepped up during a significant Week 18, achieving a career-best PFF coverage grade of 71.8. In simple terms, there’s an abundance of talent present to just abandon a player like Arnold, particularly at this stage.
Arnold achieved his highest overall PFF grade of the season during the regular season finale. He subsequently gave up four catches on five targets during the playoff defeat to Washington, but a 38-yard play distorts otherwise strong statistics (allowing just 26 yards on the other three receptions and a total of 14 yards after the catch, per PFF).
For the season, as per Next Gen Stats, Arnold compelled the highest percentage of tight-window throws among Lions’ cornerbacks (27.9 percent).
Davis is a free agent, and he may leave as it’s expected he’ll attract significant interest and potential buyers willing to pay. Arnold might take on the role of the Lions’ primary corner, responsible for covering the opposing team’s leading wide receiver more frequently than during his rookie year next season, if not almost entirely.
A player experiencing a breakout can occasionally serve as an unanticipated advantage for a team. Arnold is definitely positioned for a breakout in his second year, and it almost seems like a given. However, the Lions might require him to exceed those expectations and make significant progress toward fulfilling his end-of-season commitment.