The Detroit Lions drafted Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold with the No. 24 pick after a trade with the Dallas Cowboys.
Dallas traded No. 24 and a 2025 seventh-round pick for the 29th and 73rd picks in this year’s draft, NFL Network reported.
The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on Arnold: A two-year starter at Alabama, Arnold worked primarily at left outside cornerback in former head coach Nick Saban’s scheme and would follow receivers to the slot, depending on the matchup (24.4 percent of snaps inside in 2023). After redshirting in 2021 and playing a part-time role in 2022, he led the SEC in both passes defended (17) and interceptions (five) in 2023 and grew into one of the top cornerbacks in the country.
A basketball-focused athlete most of his life, Arnold is fluid when he opens up with speed, gear-down skills and body control to stay in phase with basic or sophisticated routes. With average recovery skills, he needs to continue developing his discipline versus both pass and the run, but his awareness for the football is outstanding, and he plays with urgency in run support.
Overall, Arnold offers an ideal blend of cover athleticism and competitive makeup, with the ball skills to make plays at every level of the field. He is scheme-versatile and has the talent to work inside or outside. He can be an NFL team’s No. 1 cornerback, offering a skill set similar to that of the Chicago Bears’ Jaylon Johnson.
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Detroit Lions draft Alabama CB Terrion Arnold: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel
