Detroit Lions cornerback Ennis Rakestraw took advantage of the opportunity to start in his very first NFL preseason game.
Detroit’s second-round draft pick is having a stellar training camp, even drawing praise from head coach Dan Campbell following the game.
Rakestraw acknowledged that “growing up not fortunate enough to have a lot things” instilled in him a mindset to grind in order to achieve his goals and to earn whatever he receives.
“Honestly, there’s a lot more details that I need to focus on,” Rakestraw said. “I made some good plays, made some bad plays, but the great thing about this game is that you can always go back the next day and get better and be a better player and a better person.”
His effort level has been off the charts during training camp, especially when the pads came on.
In his first-ever tackle, Rakestraw ran so hard, he eventually ended up running into the kicking net on the sidelines.
“I knew it was an over-route; I just did my job well and got them off the field on third down. A lot of the older guys were hyped up because it was the first (tackle of my career) one,” Rakestraw said. “That was a very special moment (for me) and running into the field goal (netting), I’m 0-1, that kind of hurt a little bit.”
Detroit’s defense is counting on the steady development of the 22-year-old, along with fellow rookie Terrion Arnold.
“As a unit, we’ll be good. We’re going to be great. We’re going to be everything that we want to be and everything that people want us to be,” Rakestraw noted. “We just need to take little steps day-by-day and get better every single day and this loss does not define us.”
Veteran Amik Robertson expressed he informed Detroit’s younger defensive backs prior to the game to play confident and to be themselves.
“If the secondary be good, then the team be good. I just told them, when they’re out there, be themselves. Play confident,” Robertson said. “At the end of the day, we’ve all been playing this game since we was young. It’s just football, man. Always have fun with it.”
