Lions Preseason Week 1 UDFA Stock Watch

The Detroit Lions have an intriguing eight-player undrafted free agent class working for spots on the final 2025 53-man roster.

Detroit has several players who have chances to make the team, and coach Dan Campbell has proven that he's willing to give players chances. In each of his first four seasons, the Lions have kept at least one undrafted free agent on their initial 53-man roster.

Here is a stock watch for the Lions' eight undrafted free agents as the team begins its third week of training camp practices.

Stock up

Zach Horton

Horton has been showing his versatility throughout the start of camp, as he's gotten plenty of reps at fullback throughout early practices. He appears to be the most natural at the position, and this could be his calling card for a spot on the roster this season.

The Indiana product will need to prove he can be reliable as a run-blocker, and if he does he would add another element to their offensive scheme by playing the fullback position. This would add a new wrinkle to John Morton's scheme.

Ian Kennelly

On Thursday, Kennelly put himself right in that mix with a good performance against the Los Angeles Chargers.

A Division II Grand Valley State product, Kennelly has acclimated to the physicality of the professional game with ease. Campbell seemed excited about what the defender had to offer, and was eager to get him game action after the young player had missed multiple practices.

"t was kind of last minute. (Lions Director of Player Health and Performance Brett Fischer) Fisch and them took him through a number of things and felt like, ‘Hey, he can go.’ Doing pretty good, the kid felt good," Campbell said. "So we let him go a little bit on defense but held back on special teams. Yeah, he did a few things. It was a good outing, especially for his first game. He did miss some practice time, so we’ll see what this. Certainly, he’s going to get more reps this week. He’s going to get special teams and just see where he can go with it.”

Keith Cooper Jr.

Cooper popped early in camp, catching the attention of the coaching staff throughout the offseason workouts and the start of camp. His momentum has somewhat cooled a bit, but there's still excitement surrounding his performance and whether or not he can be a serious contender for a roster spot.

Jackson Meeks

Meeks had one target in the Hall of Fame Game, but there could be more opportunities available for him in Friday's game and beyond in the preseason. Because Isaac TeSlaa impressed, there could be a lighter workload for him and, as such, more chances for Meeks to prove his abilities in a game setting.

Tyson Russell

A late addition to the cornerback room amidst some injuries at the position, Russell was solid in the Hall of Fame Game. He did not allow a completion on two targets, and had three tackles to go along with it. He's a ways down the depth chart when the entire group is healthy, but his performance against the Chargers may lead to more opportunities.