Originally selected by Houston in the sixth-round (195th overall) of the NFL 2021 Draft. Released by the Texans on 9/4/23 and signed to Arizona's practice squad on 9/23/23. Signed to the Cardinals active roster on 9/26/23. Signed a one-year contract with Detroit as an unrestricted free agent on 3/13/25. Re-signed with Arizona on a two-year contract as an unrestricted free agent on 3/11/26.
2025: Appeared in all 17 games in his lone season with the Lions and registered 30 tackles, four tackles for loss, a career-high 2.0 sacks and a career-high five QB pressures, while adding a pass defensed … posted a tackle in his Lions debut @ GB (9/7) … registered three tackles vs. Cle (9/28) … totaled three tackles @ KC (10/12) … tallied five tackles, a half-sack, a QB hit and a season-high two tackles for loss @ Was (11/9) … posted two tackles, a QB hit and a half-sack @ Phi (11/16) … established a career-high six tackles to go along with a tackle for loss and a pass defensed vs. NYG (11/23) … registered a tackle, 1.0 sack, a season-best two QB hits and a tackle for loss @ LAR (12/14); first full sack of the season came when he took down Rams QB Matthew Stafford for an eight-yard loss on a 2nd-n-4 play in the third quarter … finished with two tackles and a QB hit @ Chi (1/4/26).
2024: Started in all 16 games played, recording 28 tackles (four for loss), three QB hits, 1.0 sacks, three passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery ... his 16 starts were a career high ... sacked Bills QB Josh Allen for a 10-yard loss and forced a fumble in the season opener @ Buf (9/8); became just the sixth Cardinal since 2010 to have a sack and a forced fumble in a season opener; the forced fumble marked the first of his NFL career ... started and had two tackles (one solo) in the win vs. LAR (9/15) ... started vs. Det (9/22) and recorded three tackles (one solo) ... had a season-high five tackles (two solo) and one TFL for a loss of five yards vs. Was (9/29) ... posted two tackles and one pass defensed in the win @ SF (10/6); tipped a 49ers QB Brock Purdy pass that led to a LB Mack Wilson Sr. INT in the fourth quarter ... had four tackles (two solo) and one TFL @ GB (10/13) ... had one tackle and one QB hit in the win vs. NYJ (11/10) ... had one tackle and one pass defensed @ Sea (11/24) ... recovered a Vikings RB Aaron Jones fumble forced by CB Sean Murphy-Bunting @ Min (12/1), which marked the second of his career and first since Week 9 of 2021; also had two tackles (one solo) and a pass defensed ... posted two tackles vs. Sea (12/8) ... posted three tackles @ Car (12/22) ... had a tackle in the win vs. SF (1/5/25).
2023: Appeared in 14 games (five starts) in his first season with the Cardinals and totaled a career-high 42 tackles (22 solo) two tackles for loss and a QB hit ... recorded three tackles (one solo) in Cardinals debut @ SF (10/1) ... had one tackle for loss vs. Cin (10/8) ... posted two solo tackles @ LAR (10/15) ... registered four tackles @ Sea (10/22) ... saw game action on defense vs. Bal (10/29) ... recorded four tackles @ Cle (11/5) ... tallied five tackes (three solo) vs. Atl (11/12) ... had five tackles and one QB hit @ Hou (11/19) ... posted three tackles (two solo) vs. LAR (11/26) ... recorded three tackles @ Pit (12/3) ... had five tackles vs. SF (12/17) ... registered three tackles (including one for loss) @ Chi (12/24) ... tallied three tackles @ Phi (12/31) ... had one tackle vs. Sea (1/7/24).
2022: Appeared in 17 games (14 starts) with the Texans and had 36 tackles, six tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and one pass defensed … started in the home opener and had three tackles vs. Ind (9/11) … had one tackle and one pass defensed @ Den (9/18) … posted two tackles @ Chi (9/25) … had three tackles (one for loss) vs. LAC (10/2) … registered two tackles @ Jax (10/9) … sacked Malik Willis for a seven-yard loss vs. Ten (10/30) … had two tackles @ NYG (11/13) … tallied two tackles (one for loss) vs. Was (11/20) … had two tackles @ Mia (11/27) … notched a season-high five tackles (one for loss) vs. Cle (12/4) … had four tackles @ Dal (12/11) … recorded four tackles, including one for loss @ Ten (12/24) … had one tackle for loss vs. Jax (1/1/23) … finished with three tackles @ Ind (1/8/23).
2021: Appeared in 16 games (15 starts) as a rookie and had 31 tackles, five tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and one forced fumble… had two tackles @ Buf (10/3) … posted two tackles vs. NE (10/10) … had two tackles (one for loss) @ AZ (10/24) … registered four tackles vs. LAR (10/31) … sacked Jacoby Brissett for a two-yard loss @ Mia (11/7), marking the first sack of his career; finished with three tackles … had three tackles @ Ten (11/21) … tallied two tackles, including one for loss vs. NYJ (11/28) … had two tackles (one for loss) @ Jax (12/19) … established a career-high with five tackles at SF (1/2/22) … had four tackles (one for loss) vs. Ten (1/9/22).
Finished his college career at Arizona as a graduate student in 2020 where he started all five games and recorded 18 tackles, a team-leading four tackles for loss and 1.0 sack … played four seasons at New Mexico State (2016-19) where he appeared in 40 games (35 starts) and recorded 136 tackles, 20.0 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, four passes defensed, three fumble recoveries and one forced fumble … played in four games in 2019 and had 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks; missed time due to injury … earned All-Sun Belt Conference honorable mention honors in 2018 after starting all 12 games and recording 63 tackles, a team-high 12.5 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks … started all 13 games in 2017 and registered 63 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble … in 2016, appeared in 11 games (seven starts) and had 23 tackles.
Attended Mesquite High School (Gilbert, AZ) where he played DL and OL … was named to the Super 25 by Arizona Football Coaches Association as senior in 2015 after amassing 53 tackles and 6.0 sacks … was named first-team All-State by the Arizona Republic in consecutive seasons (2014-15) as a DL … also won two state championships in wrestling and posted a career record of 113-3 … his father, Roy Lopez Sr., is a longtime prep football coach in Arizona, having served as the head coach at Tempe Marcos De Niza High School, Sunnyside High School, Tolleson High School and Mesa Desert Ridge High School; Roy Sr. was named the Arizona High School Coach of the Year by the Arizona Football Coaches Association in both 2007 and 2009 ... earned his bachelor's degree in Individual Studies.
