The Detroit Lions have signed UDFA defensive end Keith Cooper Jr.
On Monday, the Detroit Lions announced they had signed three players from rookie minicamp tryouts : tight end Luke Deal, wide receiver Malik Taylor, and defensive lineman Raequan Williams. Tuesday, they announced they’ve added one more.
Undrafted rookie defensive lineman Keith Cooper Jr. has signed with the Lions and is now part of the 53-man roster.
Cooper was initially reported as a UDFA signing , but it actually turned out to be just a tryout invitation. During the one practice we saw, Cooper did stand out for his physicality.
Cooper hails from the University of Houston (2024) and Tulane University (2021-23). Last year, he started all 12 games at defensive end, finishing with 46 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hits, three passes defended, and a fumble recovery.
Cooper is listed at 6-foot-5, 280 pounds on the Lions’ website, which could give him some versatility along the interior. However, at Houston, he played almost exclusively at the edge position. His role was a little more versatile at Tulane.
In order to make room for Cooper on the roster, the Lions opted to waive UDFA center Leif Fautanu.
Cooper now faces an uphill climb at the Lions’ defensive end position. With Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport atop the depth chart, Cooper will have to battle the likes of Josh Paschal, Levi Onwuzurike, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Ahmed Hassanein, Isaac Ukwu, and Mitchell Agude for a few remaining spots on the roster. Of course, it’s always possible Cooper doesn’t make the 53-man roster but gets an opportunity to stick around on the practice squad.