Lions cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. has a big opportunity ahead of him entering his third NFL season.
He's gotten first-team reps along with Rock Ya-Sin as Detroit determines who will start Week 1 at the outside cornerback spot opposite D.J. Reed when the Lions host New Orleans at Ford Field in 39 days.
Rakestraw's had some bad injury luck his first two years, playing in just eight games his rookie season in 2024 after Detroit selected him in the second round of the NFL Draft. He missed all last season after suffering a shoulder injury in training camp.
"Just stay healthy, that's the only thing I can do," he said after Tuesday's padded practice at the Meijer Performance Center. "Everybody preaching to me, 'Please stay healthy. We're going to need you.' So, that's what I'm trying to do. Stay healthy."
Rakestraw added some muscle to his frame, particularly his upper body, and currently sits at 192 pounds, which is where he hopes to stay. He's taking reps outside but also some nickel to see if that's another area he can help this football team moving forward.
His injury experiences the last two seasons have changed his mindset on the way he thinks about the game.
"I changed my mind from thinking long-term, I'm on short-term now," he said. "The long-term will eventually pick up, but right now healthy today, pray thank God, fix what I need to fix (from the practice tape), tomorrow."
It's actually the perfect mindset for a young cornerback in this league. That position must have a short-term memory - on to the next play, no matter what happens the play before.
"If you go out there thinking about what happened the last play it can happen again and again and again," he said. "That's when bad stuff happens. Just next-play mentality with everything I do in my life now."
View the top photos from the first six Detroit Lions training camp practices.
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco (10) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Nicole Scharff/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Nicole Scharff/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Nicole Scharff/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. (86) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 30, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) and Detroit Lions defensive back Avonte Maddox (29) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 30, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit lions wide receiver Lawrence Keys (80) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 30, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Nicole Scharff/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 30, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Nicole Scharff/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 30, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Nicole Scharff/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Nick Whiteside (38) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 31, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 31, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jabari Small (26) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 31, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Nicole Scharff/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Skyler Gill-Howard (50) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 31, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Nicole Scharff/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 31, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Nicole Scharff/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) and Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco (10) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. (86) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tay Martin (17) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on August 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Nicole Scharff/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4) and Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) and Detroit Lions defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike (95) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on August 3, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Nicole Scharff/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Aamaris Brown (42) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on August 3, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Nicole Scharff/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) and Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 3, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 3, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 3, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Dan Jackson (17) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions long snapper Hogan Hatten (49) and Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Aamaris Brown (42) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco (10) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on Aug. 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
There is a lot of upside with Rakestraw the Lions hope to tap into this season, but first he must prove his availability.
"I'll say with (Rakestraw), the talent was always there," defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said this week. "As far as getting his body ready to take on and endure what he's about to have to endure this year, again, the stretch of 21, 22 weeks. Then mentally – that's where I think you guys are going to see him take the biggest jump.
"Understanding, recognizing formations, what do we need him to do on this call? Not just going out thinking, 'I got this guy. I got my man.' No, learn to play with leverage. Understand where the safeties at. Understand where your help is. That's where I've seen the biggest jump."
