DETROIT – The Detroit Lions traded up in the first round of the NFL Draft to select Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold at No. 24 overall.
Lions fans knew general manager Brad Holmes wasn’t going to stand pat at No. 29 if a player he wanted dropped into the 20s, and that’s exactly what happened. Hundreds of thousands of fans who waited three hours as part of a record draft crowd got to see their team in action five picks early.
The Lions came one play away from a Super Bowl appearance last season, and Holmes knew the top priority this offseason was to address a few weaknesses on the defensive side of the ball. The most glaring was the cornerback position, and the Lions hope the selection of Arnold will address that weakness.
Arnold was considered by many to be the top cornerback prospect in this loaded draft class. He picked off five passes and defended 12 more as a junior this year for the Crimson Tide.
Arnold measured at 6 feet tall and about 189 pounds at the combine. His speed came into question, but the Lions are obviously comfortable with his athleticism.
Ian Rapoport says the Lions traded their third-round pick (No. 73) and No. 29 to move up to No. 24. The Lions also received a seventh-round pick in next year’s draft.