Troy Franklin, WR Oregon: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Franklin was a four-star recruit from Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton, Calif. in the class of 2021

Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin is an explosive athlete capable of stretching the field. He could be a leading member of the historic wide receiver class in the 2024 NFL Draft.

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Troy Franklin, WR Oregon: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Junior wide receiver from East Palo Alto, Calif.

Background: Franklin was a four-star recruit from Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton, Calif. in the class of 2021. He was the No. 41 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 34 for Rivals, and No. 43 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 71st in the nation with an 86 grade out of 100. Franklin finished his high school career with 102 receptions, 1,790 receiving yards, and 34 total touchdowns despite not having a senior season because of COVID-19. He also rushed for 238 yards on 17 carries. Franklin played on defense and spent some time as a kick and punt returner. As a junior, Franklin made the San Jose Mercury News All-Bay Area Offensive First Team and was the Prep2Prep’s Central Coast Section Junior of the Year when his school won the Peninsula – Bay League title with an undefeated league record. That year, he amassed 43 receptions, 674 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns to go along with 11 tackles and an interception. Franklin led Menlo-Atherton to the CIF Division 3-AA State Championship Bowl title, the 2018 CIF Central Coast Open Division 1 Football Playoff championship, and a Peninsula-Bay League title in 2018 with a 12-3 overall record and an undefeated league record. He wrapped up the year with 25 receptions for 531 yards with 17 total touchdowns. He also rushed for 236 yards on 13 carries. Franklin recorded ten tackles, two interceptions, and two passes defensed on defense. As a freshman, he was named an All-Bay Area News Group honorable mention after catching 34 passes for 585 yards and seven touchdowns. He also returned a kick for a touchdown, intercepted a throw, and swatted away four passes. Franklin was selected to play in the 2021 All-American Bowl, and he was an ambassador for the 2021 Polynesian Bowl.

Injuries & Off-Field: N/A

Awards: 2022 Second Team All-Pac-12

Pros: Age, experience playing out wide and in the slot, good size and appears to have good arm length, ankle flexibility, loose, fluid, and explosive athlete, burst off the line, instant acceleration and juice off the line and mid-route, blows by defenders in off-man coverage, quickly stacks corners in press, Texas Tech defenders pressing him lost immediately (2023), quick feet, shifty feet help him avoid contact against press coverage, footwork in release package is advanced, uses hesitation moves and tempo, shoulder and head fakes, sharp cuts on short to intermediate routes, snaps off routes at the top of the stem creating natural separation, maintains speed through cuts, quickly decelerates and flips hips on comeback routes, creates plenty of separation against man coverage over the MOF, uses quick feet to set up leverage by manipulating corners, finds and sits in holes in zone, gives his QB a target when the play breaks down, flashes of finishing catches through contact, comfortable operating on the sideline and tapping/dragging toes inbounds, some contested catch heroics, speed to create YAC, steps out of some arm tackles and bounces off some shoulder tackles

Cons: Limited special teams opportunities, lean frame, play strength must improve, can he add weight and maintain speed, good speed but not an elite burner, needs to work hands into his release package, can he fight against bigger press-man corners, disrupted by mid-route contact, should work back to the ball more when defender is crashing, four drops through six games in 2023, needs to track and highpoint the ball better, needs to be more physical and own the air when going up for a jump ball, concentration falters in some contested catch situations, downfield ball tracking is hit or miss, some missed catches while going to the ground, limited power to break tackles, average elusiveness, not someone you scheme touches for, not a significant blocker, doesn’t sustain blocks and occasionally whiffs

Overview: Franklin is a young wide receiver prospect capable of lining up out wide or in the slot. He offers good size and appears to have above average arm length. Franklin is a loose, fluid, and explosive athlete with impressive ankle flexibility in his release and routes. He displays his burst and acceleration immediately at the snap, quickly overtaking defenders in off-man coverage and stacking corners playing press man. That instant acceleration translates to Franklin’s routes as he mixes his tempo and works in hesitation moves and shoulder and head fakes. The junior’s quick, shifty feet help him avoid contact against press coverage. He needs to work his hands into his release package more, but his footwork during the release is already advanced. Franklin executes sharp cuts on short to intermediate routes and maintains speed through his cuts. He snaps off routes at the top of the stem, creating natural separation. The former four-star recruit decelerates and flips his hips quickly on comeback routes. He creates plenty of separation against man coverage over the middle of the field with his speed. Franklin also wins the leverage battle by using his quick feet to forcibly widen or collapse the defensive back’s position before cutting the other way. He finds and sits in holes in zone and gives Bo Nix a target on scramble drills when the play breaks down. Franklin’s ball tracking and hands are inconsistent, but he has flashes of finishing catches through contact and is comfortable operating on the sideline. His contested catch heroics are separated by concentration drops and some instances of struggling to track deep throws. He needs to track and highpoint the ball better to make full use of his size and arm length. Franklin isn’t physical enough at the catch point. He fails to own the air space and invites defenders to fight for the ball. His concentration falters in some contested catch situations. Franklin also misses some catch opportunities while going to the ground. He has the speed to generate extra yardage after the catch. He has limited power to break tackles but manages to step out of some arm tackles and bounce off some shoulder tackles. The All-Pac-12 selection has a lean frame with limited play strength. Evaluators will wonder if he can add weight while maintaining his speed and if he can play through bigger press-man corners. Franklin is fast, but he isn’t a true burner. He is disrupted by mid-route contact. Franklin has average elusiveness. The California native is not a significant blocker.

Overall, Franklin is an elite athlete with flashy footwork, incredible fluidity, above average speed, and excellent acceleration, but his lean frame and lack of physicality at the catch point prevent him from earning a first round evaluation. DeVonta Smith proved that thinly built but crisp route runners who generate natural separation can survive at the next level. However, Franklin isn’t on that level of blue-chip prospect.

Role & Scheme Fit: Z or Y receiver in a downfield passing game with pre-snap motion

Round Projection: Early to Mid Second Round

Size: 6'3", 187 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 10-18-23