The Detroit Lions enter the 2025 NFL season with expectations sky-high and a roster stacked with talent across the board. Much of the attention has gone toward marquee names like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, and the ever-improving defense anchored by Aidan Hutchinson. But while fans and analysts are zeroed in on the superstars, there’s a quiet battle unfolding beneath the surface—a competition in the tight end room that could have sneaky implications as the season progresses. At the heart of that battle is Kenny Yeboah, a name that has drifted under the radar for most of his NFL journey but may soon demand attention. As the Lions look to finalize their depth chart, Yeboah is making a compelling case to become Detroit’s TE3, and he just might be the most overlooked asset on the roster heading into 2025.
Yeboah’s story is one of perseverance, patience, and potential waiting to be tapped. A former standout at Ole Miss, Yeboah burst onto the scene during his final collegiate season with a rare blend of athleticism, size, and vertical threat ability. In just seven games with the Rebels in 2020, he racked up 524 receiving yards and six touchdowns, showcasing a knack for stretching the seam and making contested catches in traffic. Despite his eye-popping production in a high-octane SEC offense, he went undrafted in 2021—a victim of a deep tight end class and teams unsure of how to use a player who didn’t quite fit the traditional blocking tight end mold. But those who watched the tape knew the upside was there. The hands, the speed, the fluidity after the catch—all the raw tools were visible, if only a team would invest in his development.
That team, surprisingly, might end up being the Detroit Lions.
After stints with the New York Jets and bouncing around practice squads, Yeboah now finds himself in a Lions locker room where the top two tight end spots are essentially locked in. Sam LaPorta is a budding star and one of the most productive young tight ends in the league, and Brock Wright has earned the staff’s trust as a reliable blocker and occasional pass catcher. But behind them, the TE3 spot is wide open—and it’s precisely here where Yeboah can stake his claim. On paper, it’s a competition between youth and upside. James Mitchell has been in the conversation, as has rookie undrafted free agent Isaac Rex out of BYU. But Yeboah brings something different to the table: experience paired with athletic traits that none of the other candidates can quite match.
In an offense orchestrated by Ben Johnson, versatility is king. Johnson loves to create mismatches, using multiple tight end sets to confuse defenses and create opportunities for explosive plays. While LaPorta is the clear receiving threat, there’s room for a second tight end with pass-catching chops to emerge. That’s where Yeboah fits perfectly. He may never be the inline blocker that Wright is, but his ability to line up in the slot, motion pre-snap, or even split wide on occasion adds layers to what Johnson can call on game day. The Lions don’t need their TE3 to be a star—they need him to be situationally effective. And if Yeboah can consistently win matchups against backup linebackers or safeties in sub-packages, he becomes a real weapon in Detroit’s offensive chessboard.
Training camp will be the proving ground, and early reports suggest Yeboah is making the most of every rep. Coaches have praised his attention to detail, his improved blocking technique, and his chemistry with backup quarterbacks during red zone drills. He’s been consistently available, an underrated trait in a league where injuries routinely derail careers. And perhaps most importantly, Yeboah understands his role. He’s not demanding targets or chasing headlines—he’s doing the dirty work, learning the playbook, and earning trust rep by rep. For a TE3, that’s invaluable. The Lions want guys who buy into the culture, who add value even when the lights aren’t on. By all accounts, Yeboah checks every one of those boxes.
Of course, nothing is guaranteed. The NFL is a ruthless league, and depth chart shuffles are often dictated by factors outside a player’s control—special teams performance, positional needs, or even simple timing. But Yeboah has quietly put himself in a position to not only make the final 53-man roster but to have an actual role when Sundays arrive. His skillset complements the Lions’ offensive vision. His demeanor fits the team’s blue-collar identity. And his journey speaks to the kind of resilience that Dan Campbell has preached since day one.
What makes Yeboah’s situation even more intriguing is the potential ripple effect. If he secures the TE3 role, it allows Ben Johnson even more flexibility in his play-calling. Imagine three-tight end sets where LaPorta, Wright, and Yeboah are all on the field—two capable blockers and a sneaky receiving threat who can burn you if you forget about him. Defenses would be forced to respect the run while staying alert to the possibility of play-action or seam routes. It’s the kind of creative layering that championship teams lean on in critical moments. And while it might only result in a handful of touches per game, those touches could be game-changing.
Yeboah also brings special teams value, something often overlooked when discussing tight end depth. He’s shown a willingness to block on punt return units, contribute in kickoff coverage, and serve as an emergency long snapper if needed. In the eyes of roster decision-makers, that versatility matters. When trimming the roster down to 53, a player who contributes in multiple phases is worth his weight in gold. And for Yeboah, it could be the difference between sticking around and being the next camp casualty.
Lions fans may not be familiar with Kenny Yeboah yet, but if things continue trending in the right direction, that will soon change. Every training camp has a few stories of guys who come from nowhere and suddenly become crucial pieces once the season starts. In 2023, it was players like Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch making waves. In 2024, Jahmyr Gibbs exploded onto the national scene. In 2025, don’t be shocked if Kenny Yeboah becomes that name—the player who slips through the cracks of national coverage but proves his worth when it counts.
There’s something refreshing about a player who’s still chasing his breakthrough moment, still grinding even after years of being told he’s not quite enough. Yeboah has every reason to mail it in, to settle into the role of a journeyman just collecting checks and waiting for practice squad calls. But that’s not who he is. He still believes he belongs, and the Lions may be the perfect team to give him the platform to show it. Dan Campbell has built a culture of second chances, of grit over glamor, of valuing what a player brings to the fight more than just what they did at the Combine. Yeboah fits that mold.
If things go as planned, by the time November rolls around and the Lions are in the thick of the NFC playoff hunt, don’t be surprised if Kenny Yeboah is making quiet, clutch contributions in key moments—whether it’s a third-down catch, a critical downfield block, or a perfectly executed route that opens things up for others. And if that happens, he won’t be the forgotten front-runner anymore. He’ll be the guy who waited his turn, put in the work, and finally claimed the role he was always capable of filling.
In a league obsessed with stars and headlines, sometimes the most important moves are the ones no one sees coming. Kenny Yeboah might just be that move for the Detroit Lions in 2025. A hidden gem, waiting to be discovered.
