Originally selected by Houston in the sixth-round (195th overall) of the NFL 2021 Draft. Released off injured reserve by the Texans on 9/4/23. Signed to Arizona's practice squad on 9/23/23 and was signed to the Cardinals active roster on 9/26/23.
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), which matched a single game career-high ... 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 the head coach at Desert Ridge High School (Phoenix, AZ) … earned his bachelor's degree in Individual Studies.
