Bryce Ford-Wheaton 2023 Dynasty Rookie Draft Profile
Position: WR
School: West Virginia
Class: Redshirt-Senior
Date of Birth: March 9, 1999
Height: 6-4 Weight: 221 lbs
Athletic Testing
40-Time: 4.38
Speed Score: 125.0
Vertical: 41”
Broad: 10’9”
Shuttle: 4.15
3-Cone: 6.97
Bio
Bryce Ford-Wheaton starred in both track and football at Holly Springs High School in North Carolina where he played both wide receiver and defensive back. He was a three-star recruit and received 13 offers from schools like West Virginia, Missouri, Appalachian State, Louisville, etc. Ford-Wheaton chose West Virginia, where his grandfather and uncle were both star running backs in their day. He redshirted just one game into his true freshman season. The following season, he played in 11 games but caught just 12 passes for 201 yards and a pair of scores. He about doubled his production in 2020 before catching a more respectable 42 passes for 575 yards and three touchdowns in 2021.
As a fifth-year senior in 2022, Ford-Wheaton hauled in 62 receptions for 675 yards and seven touchdowns.
College Stats
Bryce Ford-Wheaton College Stats Courtesy of sports-reference
Positives
+Size
+Elite athletic profile
+4.38 Speed (100th-percentile speed score, per PlayerProfiler.com)
+Explosive
+Catch Radius
+Contested catches
+Physical
+Strong Hands
+35% receiving touchdown share
Negatives
-Route running
-Drops
-Limited route tree
-Struggles to create consistent separation
-Limited production in five seasons
-1.5 yards per team pass attempt
-10.9 YPR in 2022
-0 career rush attempts
-1 career punt return (-1 yards)
Highlight Reel
Archetype: Red Zone Threat
NFL Comp: Martavis Bryant
Yards Per-Formance Grade: 22.7 (33rd-percentile)
Draft Projection: Sixth Round
Bottom Line:
Bryce Ford-Wheaton is a case of production not matching the athletic profile. Despite being a 6-4, 221-pound monster with 4.38 speed and incredible explosion, Ford-Wheaton never reached 700 yards receiving in his five seasons at West Virginia. He is an unrefined route-runner with a limited route tree who struggles to create separation. Where he shines, though, is in contested situations where he uses his big frame, physical strength, and massive catch radius to out-match defenders and win at the catch point.
Ford-Wheaton will attract NFL teams who are looking to add that size and physical elements to their receiving corps. He projects as an X-receiver who will be difficult to press at the line of scrimmage and will be a threat on vertical routes. However, it will take some development before he is ready to be more than a red zone/contested catch guy. In the meantime, Ford-Wheaton will likely begin his career as a special-teamer. The upside, though, is tantalizing and he could be a big pay-off for whoever takes a chance on him with one of their late-round picks.
Resources: DLF, PlayerProfiler, PFN, PFF, TDN
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