Ennis Rakestraw Jr. Plans on Being 'Tone-Setter' for Lions' Defense

Ennis Rakestraw will bring physicality to Aaron Glenn's defense.

Ennis Rakestraw Jr. / Caitie McMekin, News Sentinel

The Detroit Lions continued to bolster their cornerbacks room on Day 2 of the NFL Draft, with their selection of Missouri’s Ennis Rakestraw Jr. It marked the organization’s second consecutive selection of a cornerback, as it traded up to acquire Alabama’s Terrion Arnold at No. 24 overall in round one.  

Rakestraw, the Lions’ pick at No. 61 overall, is a physical, press-man cover corner who adds another layer to defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s self-proclaimed “violent” unit.   

“I call myself the tone-setter,” Rakestraw told reporters Friday. “Our defense used to call me the firecracker of the team because yeah, I’m a corner. But, I’ll come up and set that edge and hit you like a linebacker.” 

The hard-hitting defensive back is certainly not afraid to come up and make a tackle, a trait he consistently showed off during his time at Missouri. 

In 36 career games with the Tigers, he totaled 107 tackles, including eight tackles for loss, 24 passes defensed and a single interception. Furthermore, he excelled as a run defender, notably earning a Pro Football Focus run-defense grade of 89.0 in 2023. 

His physicality makes him a natural fit for the Lions’ defense. However, he wasn’t exactly confident he’d be taken by Detroit after Arnold went to the Lions in round one. 

“Yeah, it was up in the air,” Rakestraw said. “And during the process, I thought since one of my visits was with them, and I like how Coach (Dan Campbell) is, Coach Campbell, his philosophy and the coordinator’s (Aaron Glenn’s) philosophy about physicality, I feel like that’s what I bring. So, I feel like it was a great fit.

“Terrion, I didn’t feel like he would fall that low in the draft, so it was kind of crazy to see. But, they picked up a great corner, and I’m just happy to be a part of this. So, I was kind of shocked that they picked me. But now, got to make them right.”

Adversity has fueled Rakestraw

Prior to Rakestraw’s senior year at Duncanville (Texas) High School, he was far from a highly-touted prospect. He, in fact, held zero Power Five offers, and was often categorized as being too small. 

Additionally, going into his senior year, he attempted to attend an Under Armour football camp with several of his high school teammates. Yet, upon arriving, he was told that he didn’t look like a Power Five athlete and was turned away. 

This gut-wrenching experience has motivated Rakestraw ever since, helping him get drafted Friday night. 

“I called my mom, (and) my mom picked me up (from the camp). I cried in the car, and made an ode to myself that for the rest of this year, every four-or-five-star I face will feel me, and I’m going to show them that I’m that type of guy,” Rakestraw said. “And, I did and got to this point. It’s always going to be a chip on my shoulder. I was born with it.”