Bryce Ford-Wheaton NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for West Virginia WR

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 221

HAND: 9⅜"

ARM: 33½"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.38

3-CONE: 6.97

SHUTTLE: 4.15

VERTICAL: 41"

BROAD: 129"

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POSITIVES

— Excellent build. Tall, thick frame with plenty of muscle.

— Great speed. Can threaten the full vertical route tree at a high level.

— Good play strength. Seldom bullied into the sideline or at the catch point.

— Above-average ball location and flexibility to find the ball. Plays with hands away from frame comfortably.

— Above-average YAC skills. Strong, fast, explosive.

— Great blocker. Plays with good strength and a physical demeanor.

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NEGATIVES

— Below-average route-running skills. Explosiveness in and out of breaks is lacking; not a crafty route-runner.

— Almost exclusively played on the left side of the formation and ran a limited route tree.

— Needs to be faster beating press. Stops his feet and loses momentum.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 12 G, 62 REC, 675 YDS (10.9 AVG), 7 TD

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NOTES

— 3-star recruit in 2018, per 247Sports' composite list

— 32 career starts

— 2022 second-team All-Big 12

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OVERALL

Bryce Ford-Wheaton is a height-weight-speed prototype with the ball skills and blocking demeanor to blossom into a legit starter.

His receiving game centers around his size and athleticism combination. At 6'4" and 221 pounds, Ford-Wheaton towers over most of his opponents. His 4.38-second 40-yard dash speed also shows up on film, particularly when he gets to take off on go balls and post routes, as well as threaten vertically on comeback routes and dig routes.

On top of that, Ford-Wheaton has enticing ball skills. He's adept at locating the ball quickly, contorting his body to get into a comfortable position and plucking the ball from the air at its earliest point with his arms extended. He can be a quarterback's best friend in that sense.

Ford-Wheaton is a problem with the ball in his hands too. He isn't the shiftiest player out there, but his blend of size, strength and raw speed is enough to threaten explosive plays.

He also adds value as a blocker. His massive frame allows him to swallow defensive backs whole, often showing the ability to drive them out of the play entirely. His strength and relentless demeanor will be welcomed by NFL coaches.

The catch is he's a raw route-runner. West Virginia almost exclusively lined up Ford-Wheaton on the left side of the formation and limited his route tree to go routes, comebacks, digs, posts and slants.

He mostly ran a vertical route tree and little else. Even on those routes, Ford-Wheaton showed minimal nuance in getting in and out of his breaks, and he sometimes struggled to sink and explode out of breaks to create space.

Additionally, his press technique is lacking. He too often stops his feet and loses momentum, disrupting the timing of the play. He has the tools to fix all these problems, but it will take time.

Ford-Wheaton is a developmental project worth taking a swing on. From a size and athletic standpoint, he has everything you could ask for. His ball skills and blocking chops also give him a solid foundation to work with while he irons out the inconsistencies and middling route-running skills that plague his game.

He fits best as a standard X receiver in a vertical offense, a la DK Metcalf or DJ Chark.

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GRADE: 6.8 (Potential Role Player/Round 4)

OVERALL RANK: 113

POSITION RANK: WR16

PRO COMPARISON: Discount DK Metcalf

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen