Lions Give Invite to QB Who Threw for 8,000 Yards in College

The Detroit Lions are extending a rookie minicamp invitation to a quarterback with a local connection and an accomplished college career.

Jeff Risdon of USA Today’s Lions Wire reported that the team invited Eastern Michigan quarterback Cole Snyder to throw at their rookie minicamp. Snyer just completed a six-year college career that included stops at two other colleges, and now he will get a big opportunity in his bid to earn an NFL contract.

Lions Giving Cole Snyder a Chance

Because the Lions did not draft a quarterback or add any as undrafted free agents, they needed to extend an invite to a signal-caller who can help run drills at the upcoming rookie minicamp. Snyder will now get that opportunity.

Snyder spent the first three years of his college career at Rutgers but struggled to see the field, appearing in just 10 total games and completing 21 of 31 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown. He then transferred to the University of Buffalo, where he started 25 games and threw for more than 5,000 yards.

Snyder finished with one season at Eastern Michigan, where he completed 59.7% of his passes for 2,684 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 323 yards with four rushing touchdowns in 2024.

As SI.com’s Jorge Pola noted in a pre-draft profile, Snyder is seen as an athletic prospect with a sharp game.

“What immediately stands out in Cole Snyder’s game is his polish,” Pola wrote. “Mechanically, Snyder is a joy to watch because of how clean and refined his fundamentals are. He plays with a strong base and consistent footwork on his dropbacks, demonstrating excellent balance and efficiency.”

Pola added that Snyder has a smooth release and a strong arm, which could translate well to the NFL.

“Snyder’s tape is also filled with several back-shoulder throws, a testament to both his timing and accuracy,” Pola wrote. “Over his six years in college football, he has showcased the ability to make every throw on the field—short, intermediate, and deep—delivering with both accuracy and velocity.”

Lions Face Looming Quarterback Decision

While Snyder’s minicamp invite brings no guarantee of a contract offer, the Lions will likely be making some tough decisions on their quarterback depth chart. The team used a third-round pick on Hendon Hooker in 2023 with the hopes he would develop into a solid backup for Jared Goff, but Hooker instead saw veteran Teddy Bridgewater surpass him on the depth chart last season.

While Lions general manager Brad Holmes said the team remains confident in Hooker, he stressed that the former Tennessee quarterback would need to earn his place on the depth chart this season.

“I mean, look, we like Hendon,” Holmes said, via USA Today’s Lions Wire. “He had the injury that first year, then last year that was the first year that he kind of was able to do a full year of training camp and during the season. And then we brought Teddy Bridgewater in just because we were gearing up for the playoffs and postseason and he just wasn’t ready yet, you know? And he understood that.”