A former four-star Michigan recruit whose injury-battered college career led him through five NFL practice squads and a UFL championship before landing in Detroit.
Tarik Black arrived at Michigan as a highly touted four-star recruit and scored a touchdown on his first college catch, but broken feet in back-to-back seasons derailed his early career. After a winding path through Texas, five NFL organizations and a UFL title with the Louisville Kings, he signed with the Detroit Lions.
Path to the league
Black enrolled early at Michigan in January 2017 and scored a touchdown on his first collegiate reception, but a broken left foot and later a fractured right foot limited him across his first three seasons. He transferred to Texas as a graduate student in 2020, catching 10 passes for 240 yards and a touchdown, then went undrafted in the 2021 NFL Draft and signed with the Indianapolis Colts.
Career highlights
Black has bounced through practice squads with the New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins since going undrafted, catching a pass with the Jets in 2021. In 2026, he helped the Louisville Kings win the UFL Championship at the United Bowl, emerging as one of the league's top deep threats.
2025 season recap
Black spent the 2025 calendar year continuing his practice squad journey through the NFL before pivoting to the UFL in 2026, where his standout performance with Louisville, 27 receptions for 388 yards and three touchdowns in nine regular-season games, helped earn him a shot with the Detroit Lions.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Tarik Black (American football)
- Pro Football Reference: Tarik Black
Statistics
2025 season and career▶Receiving · career
| Year | Team | GP | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | jets | 1 | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 0 | 10 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Wide Receiver
- Group
- offense
- College
- Texas
- Hometown
- Hamden, CT, USA
- Age
- 28
- Status
- active
