The Detroit Lions made substantial moves to enhance their offense in the NFL Draft, trading up in the third round to secure a highly rated wide receiver and bringing in another option for Jared Goff in the later rounds.
Their efforts didn’t stop there. After the draft, the Lions made a notable financial move to sign a well-regarded undrafted rookie wideout. Jackson Meeks, fresh off a breakout season at Syracuse, surpassed 1,000 receiving yards and gained serious NFL attention.
As noted by The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy, Detroit has a history of finding value from Georgia prospects, and they added another former Bulldog by signing Meeks as a UDFA. He transferred to Syracuse for his final collegiate season and saw a major performance leap.
“You thought Detroit’s Georgia pipeline ended with their draft haul? Meeks, once a Georgia receiver, transferred before 2024 for more playing time,” Pouncy said. “At Syracuse, he linked up with ex-Georgia assistant Fran Brown and delivered a career year—71 catches, 1,000+ yards, and seven scores.”
Though Meeks “isn’t an elite athlete,” running a 4.64 40-yard dash, he ranked second in the FBS with 21 contested catches, Pouncy reported. The Lions showed serious belief in Meeks’ upside by offering a hefty deal.
“Meeks received a reported $200,000 guaranteed from Detroit, a sign of how highly they think of him,” Pouncy wrote. “And he’s also the nephew of veteran pass rusher Za’Darius Smith.”
Detroit wasn’t done adding playmakers, moving up to draft Arkansas wideout Isaac TeSlaa in the third round and nabbing Georgia’s Dominic Lovett in the seventh. They also signed UMass receiver Jakobie Keeney-James as an undrafted free agent.
Another UDFA with potential to stick is Ole Miss tight end Caden Prieskorn. Pouncy noted he was graded as a seventh-round talent by Dane Brugler of The Athletic.
“Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 246 pounds, Prieskorn has strong hands and excels at shielding defenders,” Pouncy wrote. “His lack of speed and advanced age—he turns 26 in September—are why he wasn’t drafted.”
Detroit has a long history of keeping at least one UDFA each season, many of whom became contributors. One such example is tight end Brock Wright, who made the 2021 roster and has played in 58 games, starting 27.
The Lions also trimmed their receiver room this week, releasing former seventh-round pick Antoine Green. A preseason concussion sidelined him for 2024, and he was let go with an injury label.
Green had signed a reserve/futures contract earlier this offseason, but his time with the team ended shortly after the draft concluded.
