Lions UDFA Profile: WR Jakobie Keeney-James

On April 9, the University of Massachusetts held their Pro Day. Following a brutal 2-10 campaign, the Minutemen only saw representatives from seven NFL squads show up to witness their athletes perform. 

For the few that did, wide receiver Jakobie Keeney-James put on a show. Now, one month later, to the day, the Minuteman is entering Detroit Lions rookie minicamp as a man on a mission.

Keeney-James already has lived the story of a player betting on himself. After a 15-catch campaign for FCS Eastern Washington in 2023, shortened due to injury, he hit the portal and managed to snag the attention of UMass. In his last season of eligibility, he doubled his career production up to that point.

He enters the year in a battle with Tom Kennedy, Ronnie Bell, and three other rookie receivers for a roster spot, as the Lions only return four players from their 2024 room. 

Strengths

At UMass’s Pro Day, the receiver put on a show worth the price of admission for scouts. Keeney-James ran a 4.37 in the 40 on his only attempt, and, combined with his other events (17 reps on the bench, a 40.5-inch vertical) gave the receiver a 9.58 relative athletic score, which is among the top five percent of receivers dating back to 1987. His 4.05 in the 20-yard shuttle, a change of direction drill, would have been tops among all receivers at the NFL Combine this year.

When flipping on Keeney-James’s tape, that speed is apparent. He had four career receptions that went for over 50 yards, three of which came last season. His sole reception of over 50 yards at Eastern Washington came at a good time, too: during the FCS Playoffs.

One of those 50-yard receptions came against the University of Georgia, where the receiver hauled in a pass amidst double coverage, breaking free from Lions' seventh-round draft selection Dan Jackson. Considering Brad Holmes and his love for Georgia players in this draft cycle, that play might have been the reason there was a Lions’ scout at the UMass Pro Day.

In terms of route-running, the sixth-year collegiate player is adept and savvy. With a 4.37 40 and matching play speed, he is a consistent vertical threat. With his noted short shuttle time, double moves are a strong threat, as well. 

It is impossible to sit on the deep ball with Keeney-James, too. Among all FBS receivers to run 10 or more in routes this season, no player graded better than Keeney-James and his 91.1 grade on an in route, with a 70-percent catch rate on those routes. Dating back to his Eastern Washington days, he scored a respectable 74.3 grade on in routes in his limited touches.

As a player who worked his way to the field, Keeney-James has special teams’ experience. During his time at Eastern Washington, the California native returned five kicks in 2022. During an interview with the New England Football Journal, he cited himself as a player that is willing to make the sacrifices to be successful.

It is worth noting that Keeney-James was the best offensive player on the field for a UMass team that struggled in 2024. Among all players draft eligible from UMass, he is the only player with a contract, all others from his pro day working on a tryout basis.

He accounted for nearly half of his team’s receiving touchdowns (six of a possible 14) and over one-third of their receiving yardage (839 of 2181 on the season). In the Minutemen’s three games against SEC opponents in 2024, Keeney-James recorded 210 receiving yards. The rest of his team accounted for 193 receiving yards.