The Detroit Lions will be on the clock with the No. 17 overall pick in the opening round of the NFL draft on Thursday night. But even if the Lions don’t decide to go with a cornerback, Terrion Arnold has good reason to be sweating it out through the weekend.
Arnold is entering his third season in Detroit, and he hasn’t lived up to the billing of the No. 24 overall pick in the 2024 draft. His 2025 campaign was marred by injury and poor performance, and it may benefit the Lions to add competition at some point, even if it’s not in the first round.
With the draft approaching, Arnold knows he may be on the hot seat. But he also gave the Lions something to consider as they prepare to go on the clock this weekend.
“I haven’t felt this good in a long time,” Arnold told MLive’s Kory Woods during an Earth Day event on Wednesday. “Just playing through all the injuries and kind of coming into the NFL with my groin from college and then my shoulder. My whole thing is, man, they’re in trouble. Like, I ain’t felt this good in a long time. Just playing through it and not being able to say nothing about it, but that’s all a part of having grit. So, my whole thing is just being able to go out there, be the best teammate I can be, be the best man I can be. But also now I can do it while feeling good, feeling secure and really just get ready for the season.”
Lions May Add Competition for Terrion Arnold During NFL Draft
Arnold’s comments may provide a reason for the start of his NFL career. During his time at Alabama, he battled a sports hernia that left him “hurting when I was coughing, trying to do situps or pushups.” Arnold also added that he thought he could push through a shoulder injury last year but didn’t want to risk further damage or a career-ending setback.
“I was really just trying to put the team before myself and just really trying to go out there and be the best teammate I could be,” Arnold told Woods. “When you sign up to play with the Lions, and you come to an organization like this, you know at the end of the day, pain is temporary. I was success-driven, goal-oriented and just putting the brotherhood and everybody before myself.”
Arnold may have had good intentions, but his performance may be another reason why the Lions could look to add competition. Over his first two seasons, Arnold has allowed 83 receptions for 1,123 yards and six touchdowns on 139 targets, according to Pro Football Focus. He has also had just one interception, 13 pass breakups, and a whopping 16 penalties during that time. His yards per coverage snap also jumped from 1.13 during his rookie season to 1.59 last year, making the draft a critical point in Arnold’s career.
The Lions have more concerns than just Arnold at cornerback. DJ Reed missed a solid portion of last season with a hamstring injury, and 2024 second-round pick Ennis Rakestraw has had issues staying on the field, missing all of last year with a shoulder injury. Detroit has also preached the need for depth over the past two offseasons, and, if anything, a cornerback would provide insurance if Arnold gets hurt again or has another rough year.
Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard has shown faith in Arnold despite those struggles. But Arnold’s comments show he believes he’s capable of more if he can stay healthy, and perhaps they will persuade the Lions to give him enough time to prove it after the draft.
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