An unheralded Detroit Lions wide receiver could be making the coaching staff's job harder 10 days before rosters are cut down to 53 players.
During the second quarter of preseason Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins, wideout Jackson Meeks continued to stand out, scoring an 11-yard touchdown.
Rookie WR Jackson Meeks finds the end zone for the @Lions
— NFL (@NFL) August 16, 2025
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"Meeks is making me reconsider a few thing on my 53 projections," said Pride of Detroit's Jeremy Reisman.
Jackson Meeks Helping Case to Make 53-Man Roster With Preseason Play
The rookie wideout caught all four of his first-half targets for 57 yards. Including the Hall of Fame Game and preseason Week 1, Meeks has seven receptions, a team-high 131 receiving yards, and two touchdowns.
Pro Football Focus grades him as the team's second-best receiver this preseason and third-best offensive player overall.
Meeks is an undrafted free agent, and with the Lions' depth at wide receiver, he has an uphill battle to make the Lions roster.
The Lions are led at the position by Amon-Ra St. Brown, one of the league's most reliable WR1s. His 340 receptions since 2022 are the second-most in the NFL during that span, only trailing Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (343). (h/t Stathead)
Third-year pro Jameson Williams has impressed during training camp and appears poised to build on his strong 2024, when he finished with 58 receptions, 1,001 receiving yards (17.3 yards per catch) and seven touchdowns.
Tim Patrick, who started nine games last season after missing all of 2022 and 2023 with torn ACL and Achilles injuries, is also listed on the first-team offense.
Kalif Raymond is one of the league's top punt returners, earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2022 and 2024, while the Lions moved up in the 2025 NFL Draft to select Isaac TeSlaa in the third round. Detroit also added Dominic Lovett in the seventh.
The Lions might need to carry Meeks on the roster to ensure he doesn't join another team once rosters are trimmed on Aug. 26.
Chances are, 31 other NFL front offices are noticing the gem the Lions unearthed in the undrafted free-agent pool and will want to add him before Detroit can get him to its practice squad.
The more plays Meeks makes, the greater the odds he opens Week 1 on an NFL roster, either in Detroit or elsewhere.