Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer (9). Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Lions' UDFA Profile: QB Luke Altmyer

Originally posted on Detroit Lions on SI
By Emmett Matasovsky | Last updated May 17, 2026 4:00 PM ET

As the NFL Draft neared the conclusion, the Detroit Lions elected to spend their final two selections on defensive linemen to address the holes in their pass rush. As a result, on of the “sneaky needs” of the team, a developmental quarterback, was left to undrafted free agency.

The Lions had gone from a team with an urgent need to only requiring a practice squad contender with intrigue after signing Teddy Bridgewater back to Detroit for the third time in the earlier periods of regular free agency.

The Lions agreed to terms with Luke Altmyer, who was a player that was trending with Motown by mock draft analysts and pundits before their draft “crush” on QBs Cole Payton and Taylen Green became apparent during the NFL Combine.

Altmyer is an experienced quarterback that helped Illinois turn into a consistent team that won over eight games in their last two seasons, the first time in back-to-back years since the 1989 and 1990 seasons.

What he brings

Altmyer enters with plenty of experience, with 35 games over his last three seasons and over 1000 passing attempts in college. After 10 interceptions in nine games as a primary starter for the Illini in 2023, Altmyer went his next 26 games with only 11 interceptions to close out his career.

He is a “safe” option that will take care of the ball, with the ability to provide a spark while leading the second- and third-string players. Altmyer is an intriguing enough candidate, with his mix of experience and his ability to play it safe, to become a roster candidate as the emergency third quarterback in the Motor City.

There was a reason Altmyer was a player that Brad Holmes raved about to Sirius XM, with the general manager admitting he was a player the Lions had a draftable grade on in the class.

Scouting Report

The Illinois product is smart with the football and can process defenses. He can read the field and is comfortable when needing to read the field and make a play.

When watching film on Altmyer, his arm strength and placement will not provide wow moments, but he makes up for it with good reads and the sneaky ability to run the ball.

Last season, Altmyer had 64 designated runs that gained 288 yards, then added 133 more yards on his 30 scrambles, per PFF.

He excels more against zone coverage as a quarterback, with intriguing enough athleticism that man coverage could turn around and bite the defense.

As far as his struggles go, the aforementioned lack of solid arm strength is one drawback. Additionally, despite his mobility, Altmyer struggled in the face of pressure. His big time throw rate vs. turnover worthy plays was 11:13, with the quarterback more likely to turn the ball over than deliver a throw in the face of pressure.

Making matters worse, his pressure-to-sack rate was north of 22 percent. This includes a five sack loss to a bad Wisconsin team last season, one that saw their prestigious NFL Draft streak snapped.

In a matchup against eventual national champion Indiana, the Fighting Illini and Altmyer got embarrassed, with the quarterback putting up under 150 pass yards, getting sacked seven times, and having four passes broken up.

Altmyer is solid and safe, with a natural throwing motion and scanning ability to carve out a path in the league. However, with his lack of results when the pressure is on, the concern becomes this: if the pressure is so bad that a starter gets injured and knocked out of the game, will a quarterback that struggles against man coverage and pressure elevate the team?

Instant Impact Score: 45. Altmyer will not go and beat Bridgewater for the backup spot this year, let alone push Goff. However, he is a quarterback with good IQ and the ability to avoid putting a team in a bad spot if he is needed for a series or finishing out a game. He is not a future starter, but has plenty of long-term backup potential. The one word summary of Altmyer is “adequate.” He has enough promise to potentially make the roster as the emergency third quarterback.

This article first appeared on Detroit Lions on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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