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Former Tulane WR Lawrence Keys Signs With Lions After Standout UFL Campaign
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- Former Tulane WR Lawrence Keys Signs With Lions After Standout UFL Campaign
(James Guillory-Imagn Images)
Another former Tulane Green Wave football player has been signed to an NFL team, as the Detroit Lions announced that they added former wide receiver Lawrence Keys III to their roster ahead of training camp next month. They released wide receiver Kyle Duplessis in a corresponding move to make room for Keys.
It's been a long road for Keys who is in his second stint in the league, as he signed with the Buffalo Bills after going undrafted in 2024. Keys was released prior to the start of the season with an injury settlement.
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He spent this past spring in the UFL with the Houston Gamblers and has spent two seasons there, where he was used on offense and special teams much like his time with the Green Wave.
Keys stands at 5-foot-11, 170 pounds and was a weapon for the Gamblers, finishing second in the UFL with 1,001 all-purpose yards over the UFL's 10-game slate. He caught 24 passes for 349 yards and two touchdowns.
On special teams, he was used as both a punt and kickoff return specialist. He returned 19 kickoffs for 518 yards and 11 punts for 134 yards. On punts, he averaged 12.2 yards per return, which was good for third in the league.
Keys will look to compete for time in that slot most likely alongside Greg Dortch and Dominic Lovett after returner Kalif Raymond left to sign with the Chicago Bears this offseason.
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In addition, Keys was used a bit in the rush game with four attempts in 2025 and one in 2026.
Keys transferred over to Tulane from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish after spending the first three seasons of his collegiate career. Keys totaled 18 receptions for 185 yards for the Fighting Irish.
For his final two seasons, Keys was with the Wave. He had 30 receptions for 296 yards and two touchdowns in the 2022 season that culminated in the Cotton Bowl win for the team – in which Keys played a crucial returner role. He returned six kickoffs for 146 yards with a long of 37.
In his final year in 2023, Keys totaled 33 receptions for 599 yards and seven touchdowns and returned three punts for 74 yards. He also rushed four times for 25 yards.
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Keys is also a great example of what can come from taking some time in the UFL to develop and, importantly, play. It's not the most straightforward path to the league, but it's a case of persistence paying off.
