2023 NFL Draft prospect profile - Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati

The 2023 NFL Draft is not regarded as a strong one for wide receivers. In fact, the lack of “sure thing” receivers at the top of the depth chart has created the perception that this will be a weak receiver class.

Of course, how many good — or great — receivers this draft class produces remains to be seen.

But one of the interesting facets of this class is that it’s largely populated by receivers who are “undersized” by classic NFL standards. While the League’s views on size thresholds are evolving as a whole, there are certainly teams who are adamant that football is a big man’s game.

That would limit the number of teams who are interested in Cincinnati wide receiver Tyler Scott. However, his ability to be a big play threat all over the field and whenever he touches the ball will certainly raise eyebrows.

The New York Giants have shown a willingness to disregard size concerns if they like a prospects’ overall skill set. Could Tyler Scott be a player who appeals to them?

Prospect: Tyler Scott (21)
Games Watched: vs. Arkansas (2022), vs. Miami of Ohio (2022), vs. Indiana (2022), vs. Central Florida (2022)

Measurables

Career Stats

Games Played: 30
Receptions: 87
Yards (YPC): 1,439 (16.5 per catch)
Touchdowns: 14

2022 Stats

Games Played: 12
Receptions: 54
Yards (YPC): 899 (16.6 per catch)
Touchdowns: 9

Quick Summary

Best: Athleticism, explosiveness, run after catch, versatility, ball skills
Worst: Size, contested catch, play strength
Projection: A rotational wide receiver with starting upside in a West Coast or Spread offense.

Game Tape

Full Report

Cincinnati’s Tyler Scott is an undersized but athletic and savvy wide receiver prospect.

While Scott’s build – at 5-foot-10, 177 pounds – and athletic profile suggests that he would be a slot receiver, he played out of several alignments in Cincinnati’s offense. He did indeed play the slot and out of bunch sets, but he was also used out wide as both a flanker and X receiver. Scott’s quickness and route running savvy allow him to play against man coverage, as well exploit the space afforded to him by off coverage.

Scott makes good use of his quickness to throw off the timing of cornerbacks in tighter man coverage. His explosiveness, meanwhile, allows him to quickly release against off or zone coverage and eat up cushions. Scott is a smart route runner who does a good job of pressing his stem vertically when he’s able, and has very sharp breaks to work back to the ball after defenders flip their hips. He’s also good at using his body language to deceive defenders on vertical routes as well. Scott will use subtle head or hip fakes to force defenders to turn the wrong way, creating easy separation on post routes, corner routes, or double-moves.

He has solid ball skills down the field, and his explosive lower body (as evidenced by his 39.5 inch vertical) allows him to play bigger than listed. Scott does a good job of locating the ball in the air, tracking it downfield, and flashing his hands very late in the route. He also has very good body control and can contort to haul in passes at the edge of his catch radius, as well as get his feet in along the sideline.

Tyler Scott is a very dangerous receiver after the catch. He has an explosive burst after the catch, and has surprising play strength and contact balance. He’s able to run through arm tackle attempts and regain his feet to keep running. Scott has very good vision and is a creative runner, which allows him to pick up chunk yardage at the second and third levels.

The Cincinnati offense both tried to scheme him touches on screens and with jet motion, as well as used the threat of his speed as misdirection with the same looks.

While Scott is an exciting athlete and a consistent big play threat, his size is a limitation in certain circumstances. He can struggle in contested catch situations against bigger cornerbacks. Not only is his catch radius limited by his height and relatively short arms, but he lacks the mass to compete with more physical defenders. Similarly, Scott simply should not be asked to block. He’s a willing blocker, but struggles noticeably to lock in or sustain blocks.

Scott can also be inconsistent at the catch point. His hands measure 9 inches, and while that isn’t particularly small, combined with his overall lack of mass and upper body strength, he can struggle to secure the ball in traffic. Likewise, Scott can occasionally suffer concentration drops, with the ball bouncing off of his hands when he knows he needs to immediately make a move after the catch.

Overall Grade: 6.7

Projection

Tyler Scott is an interesting prospect who’s projection will largely depend on the team that drafts him.

He has the potential to grow into an important role player – or even a starter – on a team that bases its offense in West Coast or Spread principles (or both), and makes heavy use of route concepts to create separation for receivers. Scott’s route running, quickness, agility, explosiveness, and speed can make him a legitimate offensive weapon for those teams. He has the ability to win quickly, turn short passes into long gains, and stress a defense vertically.

However, teams that ask receivers to win in isolation, frequently play in traffic, or frequently block for the running game will likely want to look elsewhere.

Scott can’t help his size and frame. He’s able to use them as assets in part of his game, but he’ll always be limited if not schemed to his strengths. That said, Scott can work to improve his catch consistency and be a more consistently reliable receiver. While he certainly had inconsistent quarterback play in 2022, he had some drops that should have been catches.

Even if Scott is never able to become a starting receiver, his athletic upside and skill set could make him a dangerous weapon for an offensive coordinator willing to scheme plays for him.