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Terrion Arnold Film Review: Why Rookie CB Can Be Special

What skills stand out from Arnold's time at Alabama?

Christian Booher

Oct 7, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Terrion Arnold (3) breaks up a pass.
Oct 7, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Terrion Arnold (3) breaks up a pass. / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
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The Detroit Lions have put themselves in a position to not need rookie starters on either side of the ball. They attacked the offseason and brought in veterans in many of their areas of need. 

No position has more new faces than cornerback, as the Lions brought in a total of four newcomers between free agency, trades and the draft. 

Among the new faces is first-round draft pick Terrion Arnold, for whom the Lions traded up to ensure they could select him. 

Arnold projects as a player who could start from Day 1, though the state of the current Lions roster may not necessitate it. He is multi-talented with the versatility to play inside in the slot and outside on the boundary. 

Here are five takeaways from reviewing Arnold’s film while playing at Alabama. 

Balance and fluidity

Arnold’s technique is sound, as he does a good job of staying on top of routes at all levels. His backpedal is smooth, and he wastes little time resetting and jumping on breaks in opposing routes. He’s able to come down on shorter routes, plus maintain his pedal and stay in phase on deeper routes. 

Where this skill really shines is in his jumps on passes. He has instincts that allow him to be around the ball at all times, and this shows itself in particular on routes to the boundary. He’s able to use the sideline as an extra defender and break in order to make a play on the ball. 

It’s clear that Arnold has strong preparation habits, as he trusts his instincts to be in the right place at the right time. He has a strong understanding of down-and-distance, which allows him to remain in the correct positions. 

Ball skills

Arnold was the most prolific defensive back in the SEC last season, leading the conference in interceptions and passes defensed. A lot of this comes from skill, but there are football IQ aspects that allow him to be successful as well. 

The defender has plenty of feel for situations, which allows him to anticipate where the ball will be. Once the ball is in the air, he is tough for opponents to fend off, because of his ability to go catch the ball with his hands rather than let it travel to his body. 

Additionally, playing for Nick Saban lends itself to a solid understanding of the game. Saban's secondary scheme is notoriously complex and difficult for young players to grasp, but Arnold was a two-year starter with plenty of experience.

He also has a concept of timing, as he’s able to stay in the right spot for deflections and passes that are batted around. As a result, Arnold projects as a player who should have success at taking the ball away at the NFL level. 

Toughness

It’s not hard to see why the Lions were drawn to Arnold. The Lions have built their culture around tough players and want their defensive backs to be able to tackle. That’s Arnold in a nut-shell. 

He does an adequate job at block-shedding on runs to the edge, and uses his strength to not allow blockers to drive him out of the play. As a result, he’s able to stifle opposing run attempts. 

Another area where this skill shines through is on screens. As he’s often the targeted force defender, designated most dangerous on screens to his side, he has to fight through opposing blocks. It’s no problem, though, as he has good body control that allows him to blow up screen passes. 

Press technique

The Lions love their press-man coverage, and Arnold projects as a player who will be just fine playing within it. His footwork is very sound, which allows him to provide a counter for every jab that an opposing receiver throws at him. 

He can tend to be a bit handsy when it comes to deeper routes, but his initial pop is strong and can sometimes derail an opposing wideout at the line of scrimmage. His feet are a huge asset in this area, as he’s able to stay balanced and not be fooled by opposing dekes. 

This specific area is one that could define his tenure as a Lion, as Aaron Glenn’s defensive scheme is centered around it.

Deep speed

The biggest knock on Arnold’s resume is his lack of top-end deep speed. This could be an area where opponents target him. Though he’s able to stay in good position most of the time, he simply struggles to keep up at points. 

Arnold is more quick than fast. He’s able to pound his feet and stay in phase, but could have a difficult time sticking with burners on deep posts or crossers at the next level. One area where the Lions could mask this is with a strong pass-rush, as it would limit the amount of time Arnold has to cover on every snap. 

All in all, he’s a very solid prospect who is more than capable of starting from day one. Though he has his weaknesses, the pros outweigh the cons, and he should be a productive player in his rookie campaign. 

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Christian Booher
CHRISTIAN BOOHER