The Detroit Lions already have their first preseason game in the books, having dropped a 16-14 final score against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday evening at Paycor Stadium.
During the contest, the Lions were comprised mostly of reserve players hoping to make a good enough impression upon the club’s coaching staff to earn a coveted roster spot.
However, it was cornerback Ennis Rakestraw who received the lowest grade from Pro Football Focus, coming in at just 29.3, something he noticed and took exception to.
Detroit Lions Cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Did Not Appreciate His Low Grade From PFF
Over the weekend, Rakestraw, who was appearing in his first game in quite some time after missing all of last season, made it clear that he did not agree with the ranking on PFF.
“I think I had one man (coverage) rep with a catch, it was the out route. Other than that, it was zones. I just hate how PFF did me,” Rakestraw said Saturday. “But it is what it is. They don’t know what they’re talking about anyway. They couldn’t even tell me what coverage we were in. But like I said, I just gotta get better, we’re all going to get better, and just get ready for the next game.”
“All that PFF stuff, man, they got it, cool, y’all grade how y’all wanna grade. But it is what it is. I’m just here to do what I gotta do. And whatever the plays says for me to do, that’s what I’m gonna do.”
Meanwhile, Lions head coach Dan Campbell liked what he saw from Rakestraw during Thursday’s game in coverage and made it clear the young cornerback shouldn’t take the blame for a key third-and-16 completion.
Campbell explained that Rakestraw was playing deep because he had underneath help, likely from linebacker Devin White, making the play more about the defensive call than a mistake by Rakestraw.
“I thought, man, there was a couple of really good coverage reps in there,” said Campbell. “And then there’s one where it looks like it’s on him, it’s not on him. Third-and-16, we’re supposed to have somebody underneath him. We told him to play high over the top of that. There’s supposed to be somebody insulating. So, we had a mental error underneath it.
“We told him to play high over the top of that. There’s supposed to be somebody insulating, so we had a mental error underneath it,” Campbell continued. “But, I thought he had a couple of really good challenge reps outside. And then it was unfortunate that we couldn’t get a full dose with him because of his injury. But it’s not serious.”
Rakestraw, Campbell, and the Lions are now in preparations to face the Washington Commanders at home on Saturday.
Ennis Rakestraw Has Suffered Through Multiple Injuries
Rakestraw, whom the Lions selected in the second round (61st overall pick) of the 2024 NFL Draft, has had his share of injury troubles over his young career.
In 2024, he was limited to just eight games thanks to a combination of hamstring and ankle ailments, while he missed all of last season because of a shoulder injury he suffered prior to the campaign’s beginning.
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