The Detroit Lions played their preseason opener on Thursday night but ended up losing 14-3 to the New York Giants.
The game saw the Lions feature the debuts of five of their six 2024 NFL Draft picks: cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw, running back Sione Vaki, offensive tackle Giovanni Manu and defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo.
The only player who did not play was guard Christian Mahogany, a sixth-round draft pick who has been sidelined since the start of training camp with an unspecified illness.
Here is how I assessed the performance of the rookies who played in the first week of the preseason:
Notes: Coverage, offensive line stats and ratings provided by Pro Football Focus. Snap counts are from NFLGSIS.com.
Detroit Lions Draft Ratings
CB Terrion Arnold: A+
Arnold wasn't targeted on just 13 plays, but that's because he was able to do his part well in man-to-man and press coverage, including the Giants' sixth overall pick, Malik Neighbors.
His Pro Football Focus coverage grade of 67.0 was third-best among Detroit's cornerbacks, but he probably should have been rated higher than that.
CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr.: A+
Rakestraw played 37 snaps, the third-most on the defense, and was outstanding, getting an early stop on third down, making a tackle on special teams and helping to intercept safety Brandon Joseph while covering Isaiah Hodgins.
In coverage, the rookie recorded the second-highest rating on the team (81.7) and allowed just one reception for zero yards on two targets.
RB Sione Vaki: A+
Vaki made 13 appearances each on offense and special teams, but was not seen in the return game and was not targeted in the passing game. Vaki was productive as a rusher, with his 29 yards being the most among running backs.
In fact, his 15-yard scamper gained more yards than any other running back, and he also recorded a nine-yard carry, the second-longest gain of the night at his position.
Vaki also shone on two pass-blocking snaps, earning a 73.7 grade without allowing any pressure.
OT Giovanni Manu: D
Manu got a lot of work in 35 snaps and allowed at least one sack, but PFF graded him out as only allowing one pressure. He finished with grades of 50.9 and 47.4 in run blocking and pass protection, respectively. We knew Manu was going to be a project, and that became clear on Thursday night.
DL Mekhi Wingo: C
Wingo played 31 times and was the first defenseman named by coach Dan Campbell when asked about players who stood out during the first week of the preseason.
“Wingo did something,” head coach Dan Campbell told Pride of Detroit's Jeremy Reisman, “and I think you could feel him there a little bit.”
Wingo didn't record any tackles but did record one pressure, and PFF was pretty hard on him, giving him rookie grades of 46.3 and 27.7 in pass rush and run defense, respectively.
G Christian Mahogany: Unfinished
As mentioned above, Mahogany did not play in the first week of the preseason.
