Tre Tucker, WR Cincinnati: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Tucker was a three-star recruit from Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (CVCA) in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. in the class of 2019

Cincinnati Bearcats senior slot receiver and return man Tre Tucker is an undersized wide receiver, but he possesses the speed to take the tops off defenses. Tucker could tumble in the 2023 NFL Draft because of size concerns, but he possesses immense athletic upside.

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Tre Tucker, WR Cincinnati: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Senior slot receiver from Akron, Ohio

Background: Tucker was a three-star recruit from Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (CVCA) in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. in the class of 2019. He was the No. 1,363 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 1,340 for On3.com. Tucker was an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 74 grade out of 100. As a high school senior, he carried the ball 150 times for 1,389 yards and 23 touchdowns while snagging 31 receptions for 599 yards and six additional scores. He left CVCA with 2,417 rushing yards, 1,922 receiving yards, 68 total touchdowns, and nine interceptions on defense. MaxPreps credits him with 31 kick returns for 925 yards (29.8 yards per return) and 13 punt returns for 308 yards (23.7 yards per return). Seven of his school-record 68 touchdowns came on special teams. As a senior, Tucker earned Division IV OPSWA First-Team All-Ohio and Division IV All-Northeast Inland District First-Team honors. He was also the Principles Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year and a First-Team All-PAC-7 honoree in 2018. Tucker won three Ohio High School Athletic Association state track and field events in 2018 and 2019. In 2018, he won the long jump, 100-meter dash, and 4x200-meter relay. The following year, he repeated as the state long jump and 100-meter champion while also claiming the 200-meter dash crown. CVCA’s 4x100-meter relay team, which included Tucker, finished second. Tucker’s personal bests in high school track events include a 10.41 100-meter dash, 21.32 200-meter dash, and 23'7" long jump. He committed to Cincinnati over offers from Ball State, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, and Temple. He has 11 siblings.

2022 Production: 12 games, 52 receptions, 672 yards, 1 touchdown + 9 kick returns, 192 yards

2021 Production: 14 games, 34 receptions, 426 yards, 2 touchdowns + 22 kick returns, 557 yards, 1 touchdown

2020 Production: 10 games, 18 receptions, 236 yards, 3 touchdowns + 13 kick returns, 389 yards, 1 touchdown

2019 Production: 14 games, 7 receptions, 92 yards + 23 kick returns, 532 yards

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed one game in 2022

Awards: 2020 Second-Team All-American Athletic Conference (Return Specialist)

Pros: Adjusts well to the ball, makes diving catches, good understanding of holes in zone, easy gas and track speed, true burner, acceleration and speed make him a big play threat, quick feet, quickly erases cushion of DBs in off coverage, YAC threat with his speed, quick into and out of cuts, decent contact balance for his size, good open field vision and elusiveness, subtle cuts and changes of direction at high speed make defenders miss, fast feet help him decelerate and change directions quickly, varies tempo to lull defenders, special teams experience on the kick return, kick coverage, punt return, and punt coverage units, more than a dozen career special teams tackles, legitimate kick return threat, slips through small gaps as a return man, willing and competitive blocker, takes big hits over the middle of the field but gets right back up

Cons: Slot-only size, frame might be maxed out, six drops in 2022, net negative in contested catch situations, short arms and limited catch radius, corners will find success when crowding him at the catch point, not going to break many tackles with power, benefited from some schemed touches that likely won’t translate, more of a linear athlete than dynamic or twitchy YAC threat, concerns about his ability to play through contact early in the route, plenty of free releases, doesn’t consistently string together multiple jukes or cuts, lacks the mass to occupy defenders as a blocker consistently

Overview: Tucker is unofficially listed at 5'9", 185 lbs. He adjusts to the ball well and makes diving catches. Tucker shows a good understanding of holes in zone, often sitting in open space or varying his route speed to keep a passing lane open for as long as possible. He’s a true burner with legitimate track speed. The former three-star recruit’s acceleration and speed make him a big play threat. Tucker quickly erases the defensive back’s cushion in off coverage and stacks defenders. His quick foot speed helps him fly into and out of cuts. Tucker’s vision and speed make him a serious threat to generate significant yards after the catch (YAC). His subtle cuts and changes of direction at high speed leave defenders grasping at air. Unlike many smaller receivers, Tucker possesses decent contact balance that lets him run through some arm tackles. His acceleration, foot speed, and varied tempo help him set up defenders for cuts in the open field. The Akron product is a willing and competitive blocker, but he struggles to occupy and control defenders consistently. Tucker is a tough slot receiver who takes big hits over the middle of the field and pops right back up for more. He’s a special teams ace with experience on the kick return, kick coverage, punt return, and punt coverage units. The former All-American Athletic Conference return man has more than a dozen career special teams tackles and is a legitimate kick return threat. Former Cincinnati Bearcats head coach sang Tucker’s praises in the past, calling him a leader and tough player. Tucker appeared on Bruce Feldman’s 2022 college football Freaks List for The Athletic. According to Feldman, Tucker runs a 4.29 40-yard dash. He also jumps 10'10" in the broad and 36.5" in the vertical. Despite his small frame, Tucker squats 600 lbs. and posts 16 reps of 225 lbs. (NFL Combine weight) on the bench. Tucker’s personal bests in high school track events show his high-end speed and explosiveness. The Ohio native runs a 10.41 100-meter dash, 21.32 200-meter dash, and jumps 23'7" in the long jump. While Tucker is an elite athlete, he’s limited to the slot by his small frame. There’s not much room left for the high school track star to add more muscle. Tucker struggles in contested catches, and his short arms limit his catch radius. Cornerbacks find success when crowding him at the catch point. He has decent contact balance but isn’t going to break many tackles with power. Tucker is an elusive ball carrier, but he’s more of a linear athlete than a dynamic or twitchy YAC threat. The senior receiver doesn’t consistently string together multiple jukes or cuts. He benefited from some schemed touches and free releases at Cincinnati that he might not see at the next level. There are concerns about his ability to play through contact early in his routes. Drops are occasionally an issue for Tucker.

Overall, Tucker is an undersized slot receiver with exceptional acceleration and speed who should at least earn a prominent role on special teams as a rookie. There aren’t many examples of players as small as Tucker succeeding at a high level in the NFL, which limits his draft ceiling. However, the Cincinnati product possesses unique strength in his frame and should be able to contribute consistently on offense. 

Role & Scheme Fit: Slot receiver (Y) in a spread-heavy offense

Round Projection: Late Fourth to Mid Fifth

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 01-18-23