NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Rutgers WR Ian Strong

Damian ParsonDec 4, 2025

Ian Strong is a talented but raw prototypical X-receiver with surprising short-area quickness and footwork.

He is a dominant contested catch receiver who excels at plucking passes out of the air. He projects as a developmental boundary X-receiver with a possession skill set.

Strong joined the Rutgers program as a former 3-star recruit in the 2023 class. He has had consecutive productive seasons in Rutgers' offense as one of their most trusted weapons.

Dame Parson is the lead host of the Locked On NFL Draft podcast. He also serves as co-host of the Scouting Room NFL Podcast alongside Daniel Harms.

Where He Wins

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 01 Rutgers at Illinois

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- Strong is one of the best "ball winners" in college football. He is patient and aggressive when attacking the football. He plucks the ball out of the air with violent hands. The combination of hand-eye coordination, size/wingspan, and timing leads to successful jump ball situations.

- Rutgers' second-leading receiver is surprisingly quick for his size. At the line of scrimmage, he displays reps where he quickly shakes the man across from him and gets vertical. If given a free release, Strong uses his long stride to his advantage to gallop past flat-footed defenders.

- Strong plays with NFL-caliber strength at the catch point and after the catch. With the ball, he absorbs contact well and pushes forward for more yards. He is hard to bring down on initial contact.

- His frame and long arms help outposition defenders at the catch point on in and out-breaking routes. Strong will use his frame to box out defenders as the ball arrives. It is not easy to rake through his arms or play through his frame to break up passes. He is a headache for smaller cornerbacks defending the back-shoulder fade because of his outstanding catch radius and ball skills.

Areas of Improvement

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- Strong's acceleration/burst off the ball leaves a lot to be desired. He's a leggy athlete who needs space to gear up to top speed. Winning the vertical phase of his routes relies on either using strength to displace the defender or quickness to blow past them at the line of scrimmage.

- His route tree needs to expand to elevate his ceiling as a prospect. He flashes the ability to create space at the breaking point of his routes. There are inconsistencies when separating from tight-man coverage. The intermediate routes need more precision and suddenness for NFL defensive backs.

- For a receiver of his size, Strong gets stuck with a defensive back in his hip pocket too often. He needs to develop ways to detach from sticky coverage defenders who want to press him at the line of scrimmage. This can limit his impact on the offense. Playing up to his size/frame will be pivotal at the next level.

- Run blocking is underwhelming. He fights to a stalemate with much smaller defenders. Would love to see him assert his physical advantages over his opponents rather than settling for a draw.