With Lions training camp coming up quickly, it’s time to tackle one of the more popular questions fans have at this time of year: Which undrafted rookie has the best chance of making Detroit’s 53-man roster?
Detroit has a long history of at least one undrafted rookie free agent, or UDFA, making the 53-man roster to start the season. It’s not going to be easy for any of this year’s UDFAs to continue to the string, however.
Two made it last year. Wide receiver Isaiah Williams and long snapper Hogan Hatten were on Detroit’s initial 53-man roster. Williams took advantage of injuries and underwhelming competition in the battle for the fourth WR spot. He played sparingly until getting waived ahead of Week 11, ultimately getting claimed by the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hatten definitively beat out veteran holdover Scott Daly for the long snapping job, a position still overseen in Detroit by longtime Lions LS Don Muhlbach.
Editor’s note: Kicker Jake Bates was in his first NFL season, but he was not technically a rookie. Bates had appeared in Houston Texans camp in 2024.
So, who makes it in 2025?
Tough question. “None” is probably the most logical answer, but there are a select few who can realistically compete for one of the very limited openings on Detroit’s 53-man roster to start the season.
Luke Deal, TE
My Lions Wire colleague Russ Brown already tabbed Deal as his choice of UDFA, and it’s a strong argument. Deal quickly rose to the top of the tight ends in rookie minicamp despite being on a tryout basis. He pushed the more celebrated Caden Prieskorn off the roster in a weekend. Deal has proven blocking chops from his time at Auburn, both as an inline pass protector and a people-moving run blocker from the slot.
Deal is fighting with Shane Zylstra, Kenny Yeboah and fellow UDFA Zach Horton for the reserve TE role (or roles if Detroit keeps two, which seems unlikely). That’s primarily a spot dedicated to special teams in Detroit; Parker Hesse earned that spot initially in 2024 almost exclusively because of special teams. If Deal can prove himself on punt and kick units, he’s got a chance.
Ian Kennelly, S
Kennelly was very conspicuous during the rookie minicamp. He was quite clearly the best athlete in the secondary drills, and also the biggest of the safeties. Kennelly thrived as a heady playmaker at D-II powerhouse Grand Valley State, and his athleticism is the best of any of the players competing for the reserve safety roles behind Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph and Avonte Maddox. As is the case at tight end, the bottom-roster spot is more about special teams than actually playing defense, though having Kennelly’s upside as a reserve behind Joseph doesn’t hurt his chances.
Jakobie Keeney-James, WR
Keeney-James stood out during spring sessions with his instant speed and strong hands in drills. That speed is his calling card for a potential roster spot in Detroit, where the No. 6 WR spot (if Detroit keeps six) is up for grabs between a group that includes Tom Kennedy, seventh-round rookie Dominic Lovett, newcomer Ronnie Bell and vet Malik Taylor. Keeney-James, from UMass and Eastern Washington before that, has experience in both the slot and outside. He does lack special teams and return specialist creds, though he was in the punt return mix during OTAs. That’s his best chance for sticking on Detroit’s roster.
Keith Cooper, DE
Here’s what I wrote about Cooper after rookie minicamp in May,
Tryout player Keith Cooper, a big-framed defensive end from Houston, looks like he could stick–if not in Detroit, then on another NFL roster. He was a very big problem for the tackles and TEs to try and block.
The position he plays might give Cooper the biggest leg up of any player listed here. The depth at DE/EDGE behind Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, Levi Onwuzurike and Josh Paschal is wide open. Like Onwuzurike, Cooper can reduce inside in sets, and that helps his cause. He’ll need to beat out a few more established players, including Al-Quadin Muhammad, Isaac Ukwu, Nate Lynn and last year’s sixth-rounder, Mekhi Wingo.
Prediction
Going into training camp, I don’t expect any of the Lions undrafted rookies to make the 53-man roster. These four have the best chances, in my opinion, but the reality is they’re all competing for practice squad positions. RB Anthony Tyus, OL Mason Miller and WR Jackson Meeks are the other UDFAs with fair chances to stick on Detroit’s practice squad as rookies.
This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Detroit Lions UDFA with best chance of making the 53-man roster