When the Detroit Lions take on the Green Bay Packers, it will be a revenge game of sorts for Lions cornerback Ennis Rakestraw. The third-year cornerback will be looking to prove the Packers wrong after they passed on him three times in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Rakestraw told reporters that he expected to be a Packer, and after missing the first four meetings in his NFL career due to injuries, he can finally play against the team that passed on him.
“Because in the draft process I talked to them, that was potentially a team I was going to,” said Rakestraw on why this game means more to him. “So to get to play them and get to show them that I could’ve been there if that’s what it would’ve been — just gotta do that.”
Rakestraw played sparingly against Green Bay in 2024, but will play a bigger role this year.
“It’s my first time being in real division (action), man,” said Rakestraw. “Get to play a Cheesehead for real, for real this time.”
Detroit Lions CB Looks for Revenge Against Green Bay Packers
Rakestraw noted that he was a potential first-round pick, and a lot of talk was centered around him in Green Bay. However, he got hurt in the draft process and slid to the 61st overall pick.
“If I never got hurt, you never know what would’ve happened,” said Rakestraw on possibly playing for the Packers. “I feel like everything happened for a reason. I got hurt to be a Lion, and now it’s time for me to show why. I just remember my whole draft process I was just this top guy, and then I had the sports hernia (late in his senior season) and ran slow at the combine and couldn’t do anything at my pro day, and fell into the second round. But everything happens for a reason.”
Even the Lions passed on Rakestraw, taking another cornerback, Terrion Arnold, over him.
Packers Picked Three Starters Over Rakestraw
This will be the first real chance that Rakestraw gets to prove himself to the Packers. However, they are going to struggle to regret the decisions they made. The team made three picks before Rakestraw was selected. In round 1, they took Jordan Morgan. Morgan is now the Packers’ starting left tackle.
Their first pick in round 2 was Edgerrin Cooper. While he tore his Achilles, he started for Green Bay the past two years and was on his way to a Pro Bowl campaign in 2026. Lastly, they took Javon Bullard. He starts in the slot for Green Bay and is having the best year of his NFL career.
Bullard has 1,915 career snaps. Cooper has 1,865. Morgan has 1,395 snaps.
All three have been impact players. Rakestraw came into the season with 46 career snaps and has only added 89 snaps in five weeks since then. So, one game might not change their decision. However, it could motivate Rakestraw to have a strong game.
He will spend most of the game against Christian Watson and Matthew Golden, who are two of the hottest receivers in the NFL. This will be a big test for the third-year cornerback whom Green Bay passed on three times.
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