The Detroit Lions completely retooled the cornerback room this offseason and a trio of players expected to play key roles all made their debuts with the team in the preseason last Thursday.
Rookie Ennis Rakestraw Jr. caught the attention of the coaching staff. He played 25 coverage snaps and was thrown at twice. He allowed one reception for no gain, according to Pro Football Focus statistics.
"I thought Ennis really showed up, I did," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Sunday after watching the tape. "He got a lot of reps, defensively and special teams and I thought he competed in all levels. He's just another one of these young guys that continues to get better. The game's not too big for him, so we like where he's trending right now. He's just got to keep stacking them up."
Fellow rookie Terrion Arnold played nine coverage snaps in a couple series of work against the Giants and wasn't targeted, but he made a number of plays in the joint practices leading up to the game and has been a starter on the outside since Day 1 of camp.
"I thought (he) had a good week at practice," Campbell said of Arnold. "Got some really, really good reps out there, outside and, you know, he's a competitive guy, which we already know. He just continues to grow every day, and then from what he got in the game, he really wasn't targeted, he did a good job."
Veteran Amik Robertson earned the top coverage grade by any Lions defender in the contest, playing 15 coverage reps and not allowing a reception on two targets. He earned the highest grade of any Lions defender in the game against the Giants.
"Amik went in there and did a nice job for us," Campbell said. "You know, played the nickel, and it was good to see. So yeah, all those guys you listed are really stepping up."
Carlton Davis III didn't play in the game like a lot of other veterans, but he's had a good start to camp too, and he has an established track record of success in this league. All four are brand new in Detroit and the Lions expect them to bring some stability and consistency to a secondary that ranked 27th in pass defense last year.
View photos from Day 12 of Detroit Lions training camp on Sunday August 11, 2024.
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3), Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates (43) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9), Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (6) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Parker Hesse (43), Detroit Lions tackle Dan Skipper (70), Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates (43), Detroit Lions tackle Dan Skipper (70) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16), Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III (23), Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Parker Hesse (43) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14), Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III (23) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey (30) Detroit Lions wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith (10) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5), Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14), Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (19) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Shane Zylstra (84) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end James Mitchell (82) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11), Detroit Lions cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (15) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kaden Davis (88) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow (77) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Dan Skipper (70) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 11, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Davis and Arnold have played the majority of the reps with the first-team defense on the outside, with Robertson and Rakestraw playing in the slot. Rakestraw has also been the next man up on the outside behind Davis and Arnold, along with Khalil Dorsey, who is another cornerback who's played really well of late.
"As a unit, we'll be good," Rakestraw said. "We're going to be great. We're going to be everything that we want to be and everything that people want us to be. We just need to take little steps day-by-day and get better every single day."
