Scouting Profile: Jaylin Noel - WR - Iowa State
Sales Pitch: Quick footed slot receiver w/ three level separation skills. Size will limit the scope of his role but brings speed and return juice to any roster.
*Gold Numbers Indicate NCAA T-25 for 2024*
Scouting Report
Jaylin Noel is a former 3-Star recruit from the state of Missouri where he was an All-Conference football player, high jumper and sprinter. He was an impactful offensive and special teams weapon during his time in Ames with 31 starts across 4 years. In 2023 and 2024, Noel received All-Big 12 honors for both receiver and returner.
Noel is an undersized receiver with excellent quickness and movement skills. Primarily a slot in college - 73% career slot rate - he is at his best with a clean release. Noel displays easy acceleration off the line to quickly eat up cushions. His lighting fast feet and instant change of direction skills make him impossible to cover without getting hands on. He uses exceptional body control to make sharp subtle movements to set up defensive backs and create space. Noel is a blazer with sub 4.4 speed to threaten the roof of defensive structures. His long speed combined with strong deep ball skills makes him an excellent downfield threat. Noel is a dependable pass catcher with below an 8% career drop rate. Despite his smaller frame he is able to make contested catches through contact and in traffic, due to his leaping ability and timing. Coaches are going to love Noel for his intangibles. A talented returner with over 400 snaps on special teams, he brings 4-down value. The two-time captain will also do what it takes to win. He is a willing blocker, even though he lacks the size or strength to execute at a high level.
The main concern with Noel’s profile is his lack of size. He comes in below the 15th percentile in height and length, with his weight not much better at 32nd percentile. A smaller frame with below average play strength limits his versatility and usability. Noel is never going to be asked to play a heavy dose of snaps on the outside due to his struggles with press coverage. He lacks the play strength to fight through aggressive corners when he cannot win with speed, and is easily ridden into the boundary. His ability to separate also declines when faced with press, as defenders are able to use contact to negate his movement skills. While Noel did have a good conversion rate of contested catches in college, there are worries about how it will translate to the next level. His lack of strength and short arms limit his ability to sky and attack balls in the air. Bigger more talented NFL DBs will be far less likely to be out jumped or ran on vertical passes.
Noel profiles as a starting Z who takes primary slot duties in 3-WR sets. The size and length won’t be for every team but his return skills, athletic ability and separation quickness should translate immediately. Noel projects to have his name called sometime on Day-2.