Lions UDFA Profile: DE Keith Cooper Jr.

During the week of the NFL Draft, the EDGE position was one circled as a need for the Detroit Lions. Despite this, Brad Holmes & Co. waited until the sixth round prior to selecting Ahmed Hassanein of Boise State.

However, they were not done with prospects from the 2025 class, with Keith Cooper Jr. finding his way to Detroit shortly after the conclusion of the draft. Cooper was initially reported to be a free-agent signing, but was only granted a tryout.

In the end, that did not matter, as the EDGE earned his spot on the team, shining in rookie minicamp and receiving a contract from the Lions.

Strengths

The biggest strength for Cooper is his measurables. At 6-foot-5, 280 pounds, his size stands out above the rest. Additionally, both his arm length and wingspan were in the top seven for EDGE rushers among the nearly 300 detailed in The Athletic’s “The Beast” Draft Guide from Dane Brugler.

Cooper knows how to utilize that added length, too. Those extra inches to extend have resulted in eight career pass breakups, and also a blocked field goal. Special teams might be where Cooper is first asked to shine, and that arm length gives him ample opportunity.

On the topic of Cooper’s size, that has led to versatility in his career. During his time at Houston and Tulane, Cooper played defensive tackle, outside linebacker and EDGE rusher, and in 12 or more games at each spot. When trying to round out a roster, that versatility makes Cooper the ideal target.

With his size, the physicality in Cooper’s game leaves little to be desired. He is a player that will bull rush, and it often led to double teams during his collegiate career. With his size, heading back to defensive tackle would not be a shock. Cooper is used to facing double teams when rushing the passer.

Despite this physicality, Cooper never missed a game in his collegiate career. The best ability for any player, especially a defender after the Lions’ injury luck last season, is availability. During his time in college, Cooper was always ready to go on the sidelines.

Among the EDGE rushers Pro Football Focus detailed for one-on-one pass-rush situations, Cooper had the second-least snaps where the defender found himself one-on-one. Despite that, Cooper recorded a better win rate in those situations than Hassanein.

That was evident in rookie minicamp, with Cooper routinely being a problem for tight ends and linemen. Cooper’s contract came at the same time that two other UDFAs were waived, and those two played tight end and offensive lineman.

Much like other UDFAs on the Lions’ roster, the upside of Cooper is another strength. Despite 51 career games, Cooper only played one season against Power 4 competition during his collegiate career, that being last season. During it, he led Houston in sacks (3.5), recorded nearly 30 quarterback pressures and was named second-team All-Big 12. The upside is clear.