'Overly thrilled': Lions trade up, land Alabama CB Terrion Arnold in first round

Allen Park — In one of the most unique NFL drafts in history, a record six quarterbacks were selected in the first 12 picks, while the first defensive player didn't come off the board until the Indianapolis Colts snagged defensive end Laiatu Latu No. 15 overall.

Unwilling to stand pat amidst the craziness on Thursday, and with 275,000 fans downtown for the festivities, the Detroit Lions traded up five spots in the first round to land Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold with the No. 24 selection.

"I don't want to say speechless, but (we're) overly thrilled with how tonight went," Lions general manager Brad Holmes said. "All these drafts, you never know how it's going to go. We knew it was an offensive-heavy draft. That's what we did know. We didn't quite know those defenders would get pushed to that point, especially a guy like Terrion, but we couldn't be more ecstatic or thrilled with how it went."

Holmes acknowledged Detroit's desire to add a cornerback coming into the event, but also noted he didn't expect to score one in the first round. As Arnold slipped further than the team had anticipated, Holmes started exploring trade possibilities with the teams selecting in the late teens. He finally found a taker in Dallas, who accepted Detroit's original first-round pick, No. 29, as well as the No. 73 pick in the third round.

It marks the second straight year the Lions have drafted a defensive back out of Alabama, following up last year's second-round choice, Brian Branch. Arnold is also the fourth Alabama player the Lions drafted the past three years, including three in the first round, following wide receiver Jameson Williams and running back Jahmyr Gibbs.

Arnold proved to be a premium playmaker for the Crimson Tide last season. In 14 games, he intercepted five passes, earning first-team All-American honors. He also showcased well-above-average athleticism during the pre-draft process, particularly his explosiveness, posting an outstanding 10-yard split in the 40-yard dash and strong results in the vertical and broad jumps.

"I’m not looking to get PBUs," Arnold said about his knack for producing turnovers. "Any time the ball is in the air, I’m looking to take it away, and not only am I looking to take it away, I’m looking to score. Y’all really haven’t seen my return ability, but just know when I get my first one, if I’m kind of on equal footing, it’s gonna be a show, man. I can’t promise I’m gonna score because I don’t wanna sit up here and give false hope, but I promise you, I ain’t going down without a fight."

Arnold, who was one of 13 prospects attending the draft, also took an official visit with the Lions in the weeks leading up to the event. Following his selection, he basked in his moment on stage in front of the massive crowd, many who were wearing Detroit's Honolulu blue.

"It was (electric)," Arnold said. "I grabbed the mic and said I was home because I really meant it. You could feel it. You could feel the crowd, the energy, and I’m just ready to get in front of our fans, man. I feel like we got the best fan base in the NFL."

The Alabama standout is the third cornerback the Lions have added to the roster this offseason. The team previously traded for Carlton Davis III and signed Amik Robertson in free agency. Additionally, Emmanuel Moseley was re-signed for one season after tearing his ACL in his season debut in 2023.

Arnold was the second cornerback selected in the draft behind Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell, who was snagged two picks earlier by the Philadelphia Eagles. Clemson's Nate Wiggins was the only other corner taken in the first round, going to Baltimore 30th overall.

Not surprisingly, Holmes said Arnold was the No. 1 corner on Detroit's board.

"We had a pretty significant line underneath him to the next guy, in our opinion," Holmes said.

jdrogers@detroitnews.com

@Justin_Rogers