Who Is New WR Kyre Duplessis?
Detroit Lions Sign WR Kyre Duplessis: Player Profile, College Stats, NFL Draft Status And Roster Fit.
The Detroit Lions added another wide receiver to the roster this week, signing undrafted rookie Kyre Duplessis after fifth-round pick Kendrick Law suffered a torn ACL during OTAs.
Duplessis is not a household name. He was not drafted. He does not arrive in Detroit as a guaranteed roster piece. But he does arrive with an interesting profile: a late-blooming college receiver, a special teams background, a strong academic résumé, and one breakout season that put him on the NFL radar.
For Detroit, this is exactly the kind of signing that makes sense in June. The Lions needed another body in the receiver room after Law’s injury, and Duplessis brings enough receiving production and return-game ability to make him worth watching through training camp.
The College Path
Duplessis began his college career at Coastal Carolina, where he spent five seasons in the program from 2020 through 2024.
His early years were quiet. He redshirted in 2020 and saw limited action in 2021. In 2022, he played in 12 games, mostly on special teams, while catching two passes for 28 yards. His role grew slightly in 2023, when he played in 13 games and caught 16 passes for 242 yards and one touchdown. In 2024, he appeared in 12 games and caught five passes for 78 yards.
In total, Duplessis left Coastal Carolina with modest receiving numbers: 23 catches, 348 yards and one touchdown. But that does not tell the full story. His Coastal Carolina background was built heavily around special teams, development, patience and waiting for a bigger offensive opportunity.
That opportunity finally came at Delaware.
The Breakout At Delaware
Duplessis transferred to Delaware for the 2025 season and immediately became a much bigger part of the offense.
In one season with the Blue Hens, he started all 13 games and caught 60 passes for 824 yards and five touchdowns. Those were all major career highs. He also added three carries for 19 yards and contributed in the return game.
That return ability matters. Duplessis returned three punts for 78 yards, including a 68-yard touchdown return, and he was named Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week after that performance.
His 2025 season earned him Conference USA First Team honors, Phil Steele All-CUSA First Team recognition, CUSA All-Academic Team honors and a spot on the Conference USA Academic Honor Roll.
That is the profile Detroit is betting on: not a perfect prospect, but a player who kept developing, transferred up into a bigger role, produced when given the opportunity, and showed value on special teams.
What Kind Of Receiver Is He?
Duplessis is listed around 5-foot-10 to 5-foot-11 and roughly 190 to 195 pounds, depending on the source. He is not considered a pure burner. Reports have his 40-yard dash around 4.6 seconds, which means his NFL path probably is not built around simply running past corners on the outside.
At Delaware, he played a lot outside, but his NFL projection likely points more toward the slot, gadget touches, quick-game usage and special teams.
That fits what showed up in his final college season. Delaware used him on quick slants, manufactured touches, sideline routes, yards-after-catch plays and even some backfield looks. He is more of a space receiver than a traditional vertical field-stretcher.
The positives are his balance, instincts, body control and ability to make things happen with the ball in his hands. The concern is whether he can separate consistently against NFL defensive backs.
How He Fits With The Lions
The Lions already have their top receiver picture mostly set. Amon-Ra St. Brown is the engine of the passing game. Jameson Williams brings vertical speed. Isaac TeSlaa is being counted on as a bigger second-year piece. Detroit also has other depth options fighting for roles, including Greg Dortch, Tom Kennedy, Jackson Meeks, Dominic Lovett, Malik Cunningham and Cedrick Wilson.
That means Duplessis is not walking into an easy path on offense.
His best chance is likely special teams.
That is where his background matters. He played special teams at Coastal Carolina, returned punts at Delaware, and has experience producing without needing a full offensive workload. For a player at the bottom of the roster, that can be the difference between being just another camp receiver and being someone the coaching staff keeps watching.
Rock’s Read
Kyre Duplessis is not a replacement for Kendrick Law in the sense that Detroit simply plugged in another draft pick-level prospect. But he is a logical addition after Law’s injury.
He gives the Lions another receiver for camp, another possible return-game option, and another young player with enough versatility to compete.
The story with Duplessis is development. He waited at Coastal Carolina, transferred to Delaware, finally got a real offensive opportunity, and turned it into an all-conference season. Now he gets a chance to prove that late breakout was not just a one-year flash.
For Detroit, this is a low-risk signing with a clear purpose.
Duplessis has to win on special teams, show he can handle slot work, and prove he can create after the catch against NFL competition. If he does that, he gives himself a chance to stick around.
The concern is whether he has enough true game-changing speed to become a serious return option. In today’s NFL, especially with the tightened kickoff alignment forcing coverage units into confined space much quicker, returners need more than just reliability. They need burst, vision, contact balance, and the ability to hit a crease before it disappears. Duplessis has return experience, but he will have to prove his play speed can translate against NFL athletes.
