Luq Barcoo Bio
Luqman Barcoo, known professionally as Luq Barcoo, is an American professional football cornerback born on July 27, 1998, in Cleveland, Ohio. Known for his versatility and ball-hawking instincts, Barcoo has spent his professional career moving between NFL practice squads and active rosters while also playing in the XFL. He currently plays for the Detroit Lions after most recently spending time with the Dallas Cowboys organization.
Raised primarily by his mother in Chula Vista, California, Barcoo developed into a two-way high school player before climbing through the junior college ranks at Grossmont. He later emerged as a defensive leader at San Diego State University, where his senior season established him as one of the most disruptive cornerbacks in college football. His journeyman professional path has carried him through nine different team affiliations across the NFL and XFL since 2020.
Early Life and Background
Luqman Barcoo was born on July 27, 1998, in Cleveland, Ohio, and was raised by his mother, Brigette Burns. The family eventually settled in Chula Vista, California, where Barcoo attended Castle Park High School. His given name, Luqman, is of Arabic and Turkish origins, and he began going by Luq as a child because people often had trouble pronouncing his full name.
At Castle Park High School, Barcoo became a two-way starter and earned three varsity letters in football. On offense during his final two seasons, he rushed 57 times for 472 yards and six touchdowns and added 71 receptions for 1,314 yards and 15 receiving touchdowns. On defense, he recorded 74 tackles, 52 of them solo, along with four tackles for loss, five interceptions, nine pass breakups, and one blocked field goal.
Barcoo tore his hamstring during his senior season, though he convinced his coach to let him play in a playoff matchup against The Bishop’s School, where he caught Castle Park’s only touchdown of the game. Because of the injury and the smaller profile of his high school program, Barcoo went unrecruited out of high school and had to find his route to college football through the junior college ranks.
Path to American Football
Following his unrecruited senior season, Barcoo enrolled at Grossmont Community College in El Cajon, California, to continue his football development. As a freshman, he earned the starting cornerback spot and produced 21 total tackles, two interceptions, and four pass breakups. The following season, the Grossmont coaching staff moved him to wide receiver, where he caught 35 passes for 767 yards and seven touchdowns, demonstrating the same two-way ability that had defined his high school career.
After two seasons at Grossmont, Barcoo was rated as a two-star junior college recruit by 247Sports and transferred to San Diego State University. During the 2018 season, he played mostly on special teams and recorded one interception and 70 tackles while learning the Aztecs’ defensive scheme. His breakout came in 2019, when he led all of college football in interceptions, passes defended, and pass breakups, cementing his reputation as a ball-hawking cornerback.
That 2019 campaign at San Diego State proved to be the springboard into professional football. Barcoo’s production drew NFL interest despite his small-school background, and he declared for the 2020 NFL Draft, where his combination of instincts, length, and physicality at the catch point made him an attractive undrafted free agent prospect.
Luq Barcoo Career
Early Career (2020)
Luqman Barcoo went undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft but signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent, beginning his professional career. He spent his first NFL season working to earn a roster spot in Jacksonville, where he competed at cornerback and contributed on special teams. The Jaguars waived him on August 19, 2021, ending his initial NFL chapter.
After his release from Jacksonville, Barcoo became one of the most frequently moved young defensive backs in the league. In August 2021, he was claimed off waivers by the Arizona Cardinals, then waived and re-signed to their practice squad before being released in October 2021. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad on November 24, 2021, and was released by San Francisco on January 18, 2022.
XFL Breakthrough (2022-2023)
On March 24, 2022, Barcoo signed with the Kansas City Chiefs but was released on June 16. He later signed with the New York Jets on July 27, 2022, but was released on August 16, 2022, after a brief summer stint. These short stays highlighted how competitive NFL roster spots had become for a young cornerback without a guaranteed contract.
On November 17, 2022, Barcoo was selected by the San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL, becoming the first defensive player drafted by the franchise. His performance in San Antonio was strong enough to earn All-XFL Team honors for the 2023 season. Barcoo was released from his Brahmas contract on May 15, 2023, concluding one of the most productive stretches of his professional career.
Pittsburgh Steelers Era (2023-2024)
On May 15, 2023, Barcoo signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who saw value in his XFL production. He was waived on August 29 and re-signed to the practice squad, then released from the practice squad on September 12 before being re-signed two days later. The back-and-forth pattern was familiar for Barcoo, who continued to grind through practice-squad opportunities.
On January 17, 2024, Barcoo signed a reserve/futures contract with Pittsburgh, which secured him a spot in the Steelers’ offseason program. He was waived with an injury designation on June 3 and released with an injury settlement on June 12, 2024, ending his time in Pittsburgh.
Dallas Cowboys Era (2025)
On January 1, 2025, the Dallas Cowboys signed Barcoo to their practice squad, and he signed a reserve/future contract with the team on January 6. The Cowboys showed continued interest in his cornerback depth, but Barcoo was waived by Dallas on June 18 as the team reshaped its offseason roster.
Detroit Lions Era (2025-Present)
On August 5, 2025, Barcoo signed with the Detroit Lions, marking his ninth professional team affiliation. He was waived on August 26 as part of final roster cuts, continuing the practice-squad-and-camp-body phase of his NFL journey.
Notable Events and Milestones
Barcoo’s most significant milestone came in 2019, when he led all of college football in interceptions, passes defended, and pass breakups while at San Diego State. His selection as the first defensive player drafted by the San Antonio Brahmas in 2022 and his subsequent All-XFL Team honor in 2023 stand as the defining achievements of his professional career. The 2019 college season and the 2023 XFL campaign together form the cornerstone of his on-field résumé.
Luq Barcoo Career Wins
Luqman Barcoo’s career has been defined less by championship hardware and more by persistence through multiple professional stops. His verified honors include the 2019 college interceptions crown and his 2023 All-XFL Team selection with the San Antonio Brahmas.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the All-XFL honor, Barcoo’s career highlights include his 2019 FBS interception leadership and his freshman-year starting role at Grossmont Community College. His high school numbers at Castle Park, including 1,314 receiving yards and five interceptions in his final two seasons, also stand out as formative achievements.
Luq Barcoo Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Luqman Barcoo was raised primarily by his mother, Brigette Burns, after the family moved from Cleveland, Ohio, to Chula Vista, California. Public information about his broader family background and personal relationships is limited, and Barcoo has largely kept his private life out of the public eye. His professional journey reflects the steady support that helped him move from an unrecruited high school prospect to an NFL and XFL veteran.
2025 Season Performance
Luqman Barcoo entered the 2025 NFL calendar looking to earn a roster spot on a competitive defensive depth chart. After signing a reserve/future contract with the Dallas Cowboys on January 6, 2025, he worked through the offseason program before being waived on June 18.
Barcoo quickly found a new opportunity, signing with the Detroit Lions on August 5, 2025, in time for training camp and the preseason. He was waived on August 26 as part of the league’s final roster cuts, a familiar outcome for a player whose career has been built on practice-squad resilience and short-stint opportunities.
Looking ahead, Barcoo’s professional outlook continues to depend on his special-teams value, his cornerback depth, and the ability to land on a practice squad or futures contract as injuries and roster moves open doors across the league.