Jordyn Tyson NFL Draft profile: Patient approach with oft-injured receiver will pay dividends

Jordyn Tyson NFL Draft profile

Jordyn Tyson

ARIZST • WR

CBS Sports prospect ranking: No. 23 overall (No. 5 WR)

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• Age as of Week 1: 22 years old
• Measurables: 6-foot-2⅛, 203 pounds, 9⅛-inch hands, 30¼-inch arm length, 75¼-inch wingspan
• Testing: Did not participate in on-field testing
• **Comparable body type:**Jerry Jeudy

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NFL comparison: Former Broncos WR Brandon Lloyd

Tyson is sudden and shifty with snappy hands. It's a real good combination that NFL coaches chase, especially when they can develop other elements of a receiver's game. He reminds me of Brandon Lloyd, who spent most of his career as a capable contributor but did have a few seasons as a lead target. Lloyd also made a bunch of insane one-handed circus catches that Tyson has replicated, albeit to a lesser degree and without the mega-long arms that Lloyd had. Tyson does have a little more athleticism than Lloyd did, figures to be a better route runner than Lloyd was when he came out of college and has considerably more upside if a good coaching staff can coax more aggressiveness out of him.

[Renner's three-round NFL mock draft: A wide-open top 10 becomes a case study in positional value

Mike Renner

About

• 2024-25: Two-time third-team All-American (AP)
• 2024-25: Two-time first-team All-Big 12
• 2024-25: Second-most receiving yards (1,812) and receiving touchdowns (18) in Big 12 over past two seasons
• 2024: Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year

College stats

Strengths

• Good height with larger-than-average legs. Loose, fluid body that helps him move with quickness and suddenness. Low-angle ankle inflexion gives him tremendous cutting ability.
• Lined up primarily as an "X" outside receiver but has experience working in the slot and going in motion pre-snap.
• Route variety is among the best in the class with plenty of combination routes in his arsenal. He was excellent on hitch and comeback routes.
• Supreme route runner with a bag full of moves he used to get open. Utilized tempo in tandem with skips, hesitations, stutters and cuts when releasing off the snap and in his routes.
• Had a balanced route tree that can be exploited immediately in the NFL. Tyson credits Davante Adams as his inspiration here.
• Loose body, quick feet and ankle flexion allowed Tyson to change directions quickly. Very good quick-twitch to him, especially for a guy his size. His cuts were good, his ability to turn back toward the quarterback were done in two, maybe two-and-a-half sudden steps.

FIVE PLAYS: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

1. At the bottom of the screen, Tyson runs a simple hitch but with sudden feet to turn back to the QB in two steps, adjust for the pass & snare it. He tried to create space with a juke, which didn't do much other than show you another… pic.twitter.com/87RXt7tiqR

— #AskFFT (@daverichard) February 15, 2026

• Capable of accelerating to top speed pretty quickly. Had the long speed to challenge defenders to keep up and was very capable of burning them when they made a mistake.

• Displayed good concentration overall including when tracking the ball in the air on deep throws.

• Tyson flashed not only the ability to vertically leap to high-point catches, but to almost float for a second both when jumping vertically and diving horizontally.

3. The speed and jab step in the route were solid, but the cut to the outside got the DB flatfooted and the hangtime & full extension to get the ball (thrown away from the defender) were fantastic. Air Jordyn?! pic.twitter.com/i6jSF3YLp7

— #AskFFT (@daverichard) February 15, 2026

• Body control on off-target throws to reel in tough catches was impressive.

• Improved his drop rate from 6.2% in 2024 to 1.0% in 2025 and became known for snaring the ball into his hands without issue.

• Very good balance helped him stay on his feet when he was jostled by defenders or tiptoeing the sideline.

• Quality athleticism runs in the family: Father John played football at FAMU, brother Barron played football at South Alabama and older brother Jaylon Tyson is a 6-foot-6 guard who played basketball at Cal and currently plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers (Tyson said he gave up basketball in high school so he could focus on football).

• Has learned the value of hard practice, instilled in him by Hines Ward, his receivers coach at Arizona State.

• Showed maturity when he privately apologized to Colorado coach Deion Sanders after the two had a heated separation when Sanders took over the program before the 2023 season. The same maturity comes out in interviews, particularly when Tyson speaks about his work habits and his faith.

Concerns

• Tyson has dealt with numerous injuries throughout college: With Colorado in 2022 he tore his left ACL, MCL and PCL when a defensive back violently went low on a tackle late in a blowout loss versus Oregon. That led to him missing most of the 2023 season after transferring to Arizona State. He fractured his left collarbone late in 2024 that forced him to miss the Sun Devils' College Football Playoff game. Then late in 2025 he tried playing through a hamstring injury but ultimately was sidelined again. In total, Tyson missed 18 games over four seasons and has played sparingly (15 snaps or fewer) in five other games. Teams absolutely must be at peace with their medical evaluations of Tyson before considering him.
• As speedy and shifty and sudden as Tyson was, there were still a number of quality college cornerbacks who went step-for-step with him. The competition will only get harder in the NFL.
• Didn't fear contact but wasn't an aggressive, physical player. He struggled getting away from handsy coverage, for example. Tyson also was mostly a non-factor after first contact: only one of Tyson's 61 catches in 2025 included 10-plus yards after first contact (and it was against FCS school Northern Arizona). Only three of Tyson's 75 catches in 2024 went 10-plus yards after first contact. Tyson did add muscle before the Combine and could become more physical, but it's anticipated that a coach will have to bring that "my ball" mentality out of him.
• Tyson caught 43.8% of his contested catches in 2025, 40% versus Power-4 schools per Pro Football Focus. That number was much higher in 2024 (66.7%), and he does have some incredible circus grabs on film, so perhaps it's unfair to say he's not good in contested catch situations. But it is fair to say he's not the hyper-aggressive type of receiver who will routinely tilt 50-50 balls into 70-30 balls. The 43.8% was the lowest among the consensus top-5 in the class, by the way. Maybe the added muscle will make him more of a contender on those throws.

5. The good: From the slot on the right side Tyson beat his coverage to get wide open for a should-be TD. But the QB was late and underthrew the ball, which Tyson adjusted to. The bad: Tyson couldn't finish the play as the safety turns the pass into a contested catch Tyson… pic.twitter.com/DDmSzm0Cwq

— #AskFFT (@daverichard) February 15, 2026

• Additionally, there wasn't enough evidence to call Tyson a good run blocker. At times he'd make a good effort and even achieve a successful block, but there were plenty of plays where the defender he tried to block would end up making a play. At times he'd literally freeze at the snap and do nothing. There's room for improvement but he has much to learn here and may never be a great run blocker.
• Did tend to freeze post-catch when he spots a defender. Preferred to try and juke his way out of trouble instead of running instinctively or power into a defender. Usually it cost him yardage.
• Among the top-five wide receiver prospects in this draft class, Tyson was either last or second-to last in catch rate (62.9%), average depth of target (11.72 yards), yards per route run (2.55, which was nearly identical to K.C. Concepcion's 2.56) and yards after catch per reception (4.3 yards). And specifically his explosive catch rate was not only last among the top-five but 48th out of 68 Power-4 Conference receivers with at least 75 targets in 2025. All of this despite leading the Sun Devils -- and the top-five WRs in the class -- in target per route run rate (34.8%).

Bottom line

Thanks to his hands, his routes and his suddenness, Tyson is a cinch to contribute to an NFL team, but it's probably for the best that a team takes their time acclimating him. His best fit would be on a team that has an older established receiver already on the roster for Tyson to potentially replace in a couple of years. It's what the Seahawks did with Jaxon Smith-Njigba. However, other elements of Tyson's game must be developed. It's the kind of stuff that might make him an even better receiver down the line, so it's crucial he fits in with a team that won't ask too much too soon. Slowing his growth may also help him stay healthy and not take on a lot of physical bumps and bruises that come with the pro game. I'd expect Tyson to get taken in the back half of the first round of the 2026 draft.