Rookie Profile: Terrion Arnold, Cornerback, Detroit Lions
Welcome to the Rookie Profile for Terrion Arnold, a cornerback from Alabama. He is from Tallahassee, FL. Arnold was a four-star prospect from John Paul II Catholic High School.
Terrion Arnold committed to Alabama in February of 2021. At that time he was ranked as the 3rd best safety on 247sports.
When Arnold arrived at Alabama he would become a cornerback. In his freshman season, he acquired 45 total tackles with 34 being solo. He only had one interception. But he also had 8 pass deflections. This was impressive seeing that he only played in 9 games.
His role would increase for the Crimson Tide stepping into his sophomore season. Through 13 games he saw over 200 more snaps becoming one of the team’s best defenders. He deflected an impressive 12 passes. Plus, he brought in 5 interceptions to go with his 63 total tackles. He would go on to become a First-Team All-American in 2023. Arnold also led the SEC in interceptions in 2023.
Arnold did his part in the SEC Championship game against defending champions Georgia Bulldogs. He helped lead the way to a victory by leading the team with 6 total tackles.
Measurables
Draft Capital & Landing Spot
Draft Capital- Round 1 Pick 24
- Terrion Arnold was one of the top cornerbacks in the pre-draft process. Some even had him as CB1. His strength came when in press coverage making it difficult for receivers to get off the line. However, he was also a versatile athlete with great length to shadow over defenders. His 5 interceptions this past season showed his lockdown capabilities. Plus, he does not shy away from contact. If he is asked to act in run support scenarios he does not shy away from contact and shows excellent closing speed.
Landing Spot- Detroit Lions
- The Detroit Lions added some cornerbacks during the off-season. However, the Lions saw what Brian Branch, a former Alabama Crimson Tide, brought to their team last season. So, it made sense for them to go after another top Crimson Tide defensive back. The depth chart is deep, but first-round capital says they plan to use Arnold one way or another. In a division with some top-tier wide receivers, it makes sense to draft a top-tier defensive back. Arnold will make a push as the starting cornerback before the season begins.
Team Depth Chart
Expected Role: Starting Cornerback
Depth Chart via Fantasy Pros
Fantasy Impact
As talented as Terrion Arnold is his fantasy impact may be limited. Cornerbacks typically are not fantasy-relevant compared to other defensive positions. Especially, when you have a shutdown corner like Arnold. This tends to make quarterbacks look the other way.
The upside with a cornerback like Terrion Arnold is the ability to get interceptions. It is possible he gets 3-5 interceptions in his first year in the league which could help his fantasy impact. However, one would also need him to secure a bare minimum of 40 tackles to have any relevancy. Unless you are playing in position-specific IDP leagues it might be best to avoid Arnold until very late rounds or as a waiver wire pick up during season.
Check out our 2024 Rookie Rankings Page for a full breakdown of this rookie class.
