2024 Exclusive Sneak Peek: Luke McCaffrey, WR Rice
Welcome to the Exclusive Sneak Peek: Luke McCaffrey, Rice WR. McCaffrey, a three-star-rated prospect and the 29th-ranked athlete in the 2019 class graduated from Valor Christian High School in Littleton, Colorado.
As a freshman, McCaffrey enrolled at Nebraska as a quarterback and served as a backup to Adrian Martinez. During his two seasons at Nebraska, McCaffrey played in 11 games, with more rushing attempts (89) than passing attempts (88). After his sophomore year, McCaffrey transferred from Stanford to Louisville, then to Rice.
During his third and final season as a backup quarterback, McCaffrey realized that if he wanted to advance his football career, he needed to change positions. Together with the coaching staff, they decided that McCaffrey should switch to playing wide receiver during the spring games that offseason. This decision significantly altered his career trajectory.
During the following season, McCaffrey was a dominant force for Rice University’s football team, leading them in receptions. He ended the year with 58 catches, 723 yards, and 6 touchdowns. He also demonstrated versatility by rushing for 148 yards on 12 carries and scoring 1 touchdown.
McCaffrey had a dominant senior season, achieving the triple crown by leading his team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. He finished with an impressive 992 yards on 71 receptions and 13 touchdowns.
Luke McCaffrey had an impressive Senior Bowl week, showcasing his talents as a receiver and punt returner during the game. He also attended the NFL Combine, where he turned heads with his all-around performance, earning a 9.56 RAS score. As a result, he’s been trending toward being a top-100 pick in the NFL draft.
Measurables
NCAA Statistics
| Rushing | Receiving | Scrimmage | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2019 | Nebraska | Big Ten | FR | QB | 4 | 24 | 166 | 6.9 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 0 | 25 | 178 | 7.1 | 1 |
| 2020 | Nebraska | Big Ten | FR | QB | 7 | 65 | 364 | 5.6 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 66 | 369 | 5.6 | 3 |
| 2021 | Rice | CUSA | FR | QB | 9 | 41 | 132 | 3.2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 132 | 3.2 | 2 | |
| *2022 | Rice | CUSA | SO | 11 | 12 | 148 | 12.3 | 1 | 58 | 723 | 12.5 | 6 | 70 | 871 | 12.4 | 7 | |
| *2023 | Rice | American | SR | WR | 13 | 15 | 117 | 7.8 | 0 | 71 | 992 | 14.0 | 13 | 86 | 1109 | 12.9 | 13 |
| Career | Overall | 157 | 927 | 5.9 | 7 | 131 | 1732 | 13.2 | 19 | 288 | 2659 | 9.2 | 26 | ||||
| Nebraska | 89 | 530 | 6.0 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 0 | 91 | 547 | 6.0 | 4 | |||||
| Rice | 68 | 397 | 5.8 | 3 | 129 | 1715 | 13.3 | 19 | 197 | 2112 | 10.7 | 22 | |||||
Scouting Reports
Strengths
- He displays impressive acceleration at the start of the play, as seen during the NFL combine drills.
- He is a smooth football catcher who uses his hands instead of his body to bring the ball in.
- He has excellent body control and spatial awareness, which enables him to make big-time catches.
- The player has both the size and speed required for the current NFL.
- He was not afraid to run across the middle of the field and put his body on the line.
- He comes from NFL bloodlines with his brother Christian and father Ed.
Weaknesses
- Raw prospect at the WR position. Has worked to do as he has played the position for two years.
- He tends to rely on his athleticism to separate and needs to work on his route running skills.
- The upside is limited, as he is projected to play as a slot wide receiver at the next level.
- For someone as athletic as McCaffrey is, he lacks the yards-after-catch ability.
- Gets overpowered as a run blocker.
Pre-Draft Analysis
Expected Draft Capital: Round 5
Ideal Landing Spot: Atlanta Falcons
McCaffrey possesses the potential to develop into a dependable WR 2/3, provided he finds the right team and situation. His limited experience in playing wide receiver snaps has enhanced his appeal as he has untapped potential waiting to be explored.
The Atlanta Falcons need someone with McCaffrey’s skillset to play in the middle of the field and help take the pressure off of Drake London and Kyle Pitts in the passing game. He could thrive in the underneath and middle areas of the football field playing with those premier talents.
McCaffrey is a late bloomer from a smaller school and started playing wide receiver relatively late in his career. However, he has impressed scouts and analysts with his recent performances at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine. Considering his strong showings, he may be selected in the top 100 picks on draft day.
Post-Draft Analysis
Pick 3.100 to the Washington Commanders
McCaffrey
Check out The Fantasy Football Universe video breakdown of Luke McCaffrey below.
