Ennis Rakestraw is the second Missouri Tiger to hear his name called in the 2024 NFL Draft. He’s headed to Detroit.
One of the first biggest recruiting wins of the Eli Drinkwitz era has become a second round NFL Draft pick.
“Coach, I’m coming home” – @EnnisRakestraw #MIZ x #NewZou20 pic.twitter.com/LPfNvWtmOh
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) February 5, 2020
Cornerback Ennis Rakestraw is heading to the Detroit Lions in the second round with the 61st overall pick.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr. is a Detroit Lion!!!#MIZ | #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/Weha9O4Oax
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) April 27, 2024
Cornering the market#NFLDraft | @MizzouFootball pic.twitter.com/VxXj7uN3jF
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) April 27, 2024
Rakestraw is the second Mizzou player to be drafted thus far, joining Darius Robinson — who was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the first-round last night.
Rakestraw heard his name called with the city of Detroit as the NFL Draft host and legend Barry Sanders on the stage. It was the second SEC cornerback the Lions have drafted as they took Alabama’s Terrion Arnold in the first round.
Detroit getting ready to be DBU let’s go!@EnnisRakestraw
— Terrion “ ℍ ” Arnold (@ArnoldTerrion) April 27, 2024
For the first time since 2015, Mizzou has had multiple players selected in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft (Shane Ray in the 1st, plus Mitch Morse and Markus Golden in the 2nd).
Moments ago, ESPN’s Matt Miller had Rakestraw as the best available player.
My best available player: Missouri CB Ennis Rakestraw
Know he was hurt in the pre-draft process, but the film is much better than where he’ll be drafted. Someone should get him very soon.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) April 27, 2024
Injuries had unfortunately hampered Rakestraw’s time at Mizzou, but he still produced a successful career as a Tiger. In 24 games played through four seasons, Rakestraw racked up 53 solo tackles and 73 total tackles (stats per MUTigers.com). In arguably Mizzou’s most important game of the season last year in the 30-27 win over Kansas State – Rakestraw showed up in a huge way with a career-high seven tackles.
Off the field and in the classroom at Mizzou, Rakestraw was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll four times.