Hot Take Tuesday: Tyler Scott is the Most Underrated Player in the Draft

Jack Borowsky explains why the Bearcat's receiver is the most underrated player in the 2023 draft.

The consensus is that this is a weaker wide receiver class but there are some under-the-radar prospects at the position who will rise throughout the pre-draft process. One wideout, in particular, has the skill set to finish as one of the top receivers in the class when it is all said and done: Cincinnati’s Tyler Scott.

Coming into the season, Scott wasn’t a player on many people’s radars. He didn’t show up in early mock drafts or wide receiver rankings. Scott’s running mate Tre Tucker garnered most of the attention and deservedly so.

Once the season started, it was easy to see that the Bearcats had two high-end weapons and weren’t going to miss a beat after losing Alec Pierce to the NFL. Scott had 77 yards to start the season against Arkansas, where he looked the part against a really good defense.

The thing that stood out the most in that game was his pure speed. He was moving at a different level than anyone else on the field, stressing cornerbacks vertically. This was an SEC defense with NFL-caliber defenders.

In week three against Miami of Ohio, Scott had 119 yards and a touchdown. His explosion and acceleration downfield were unbelievable. He also displayed the ability to win on short and intermediate routes.

Miami of Ohio is a solid team, but they didn’t have the talent Indiana’s secondary had, the team Scott played in week four. He topped his 119-yard outing against the RedHawks, this time with 185 yards and three touchdowns, in one of the best performances from a wideout all season.

His highlight reel post pattern, in which he dusted the cornerback covering him, will be all over social media throughout the rest of the draft process. Everyone will fall in love with the deep speed he showed in that game and all season but there is a lot more to Scott.

The change of direction and quickness Scott has will allow him to be a threat on intermediate routes. He has really fluid hips as well. As he continues to tighten up his routes, Scott is going to be hard to stay with him in man coverage.

The only reason Scott doesn’t get consistently mocked as a top 50 pick and pushing toward the first round is that people didn’t expect him to declare. He is a similar prospect to Tyler Smith coming out of Tulsa last season. Both were AAC products that flew under the radar before entering the draft. Not only did Smith go in the first round, but he was also the best rookie left tackle in the NFL this season.

The upside Scott has is tremendous. In the modern NFL, with so many high-octane offenses looking for a receiver who can take the top off the defense, Scott is that guy. Those players are rare but Scott also has the talent to win consistently. He isn’t going to be just a deep threat, which is unique for a player with his speed. Very few wideouts run in the 4.2s to low 4.3s and have all the other tools outside of the speed Scott possesses.

By draft night, most evaluators will have Scott as or close to a top-five wideout in the draft. For me, he is a clear-cut top-five player at the position, and he is the kind of player every team is looking for, which is why he’s going to go really high. Scott has the talent and upside to finish as one of the best receivers in the draft and be an impact player in the NFL for a long time.

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