Late on Monday, the Detroit Lions announced they have signed cornerback Luq Barcoo. He was actually the second cornerback the Lions signed that day, after adding former Michigan Panthers corner D.J. Miller.
The news comes after the Lions’ injury situation at cornerback continues to grow. Late last week, 2024 first-round pick Terrion Arnold suffered a minor hamstring injury that has sidelined him for about a week–although he’s expected to return midweek. More seriously, Ennis Rakestraw was injured in Sunday’s practice, and coach Dan Campbell indicated on Monday that he believes the injury will sideline the second-year cornerback for “a while.” With Khalil Dorsey still on the Physically Unable to Perform list and Rock Ya-Sin starting to get some work with the safeties, it has left the Lions very thin at cornerback. Behind starters D.J. Reed, Amik Robertson, and Arnold, here is the list of healthy Lions cornerbacks
- Erick Hallett (converting from safety)
- Dicaprio Bootle (added 7/18)
- Tyson Russell (added 7/18)
- Nick Whiteside (added 7/28)
- D.J. Miller (added 8/4)
- Luq Barcoo (added 8/4)
That said, both Ya-Sin and Avonte Maddox can play cornerback.
As for Barcoo, he comes to Detroit after going undrafted in 2020 and bouncing around all over in the five years since. Most notably, Barcoo was named All-XFL in 2023 as a member of the San Antonio Brahmas. That year, he started nine games, tallied 31 tackles, a sack, and an interception.
Listed at 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, Barcoo is tall and long, and at San Diego State, he had one of the best seasons in program history in 2019. That year, he tallied 55 tackles, nine interceptions, 16 pass breakups, and five tackles for loss. He ended up being named third-team All-American.
“The biggest thing is that he’s playing with more confidence because he knows what to do,” Barcoo’s college positional coach, Demetrius Sumler, said in 2019. “That goes with preparing and playing last year, and with having the whole spring to understand what we’re doing. He’s playing faster. He’s being more aggressive and physical.”
In case you’re keeping track at home, here are the new jersey numbers for each of the cornerbacks added in the past month:
- Dicaprio Bootle: 17
- Tyson Russell: 35
- Nick Whiteside: 38
- D.J. Miller: 42
- Luq Barcoo: 40
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