Both J. Michael Sturdivant and Isaiah Neyor flashed a few times at the back end of Green Bay Packers’ first preseason game in Pittsburgh. I’ve written a bit about Sturdivant before, and whereas he’s not my favourite wide receiver prospect, he is very toolsy, he matches a want on the workforce, and he has some particular groups worth. I get why the Packers picked him up, and if he makes the workforce, I gained’t be shocked. But Isaiah Neyor is interesting in his own right, and I believe he has extra long-term upside if he can determine a few issues out.
The motive that Neyor stays interesting is as a result of he hit on a few key standards we use to undertaking younger receivers (with some caveats, which we’ll get to) while in college, and his relative lack of manufacturing close to the top of his school profession was seemingly brought on by some ill-timed transfers whereas recovering from a torn ACL. It’s not a excellent profile, there are warts for certain, however there is a LOT of fine right here in context.
In his 2021 season at Wyoming, Neyor had a reputable breakout as a younger 20-year-old (he turned 20 in June of 2021). He led the Cowboys with 44 receptions (17 greater than second place Josh Cobbs), 878 yards (580 greater than second place Ayden Eberhardt), and 12 TD catches (no different Cowboy had greater than 2). He completely dominated the Wyoming passing recreation because the clear, greatest playmaker, they usually leaned on him as a outcome.
Breakout age is one of many higher predictors for future success, and main your workforce in all main receiving classes by far as a redshirt freshman is a nice signal. Unfortunately, there are two main points that decision this efficiency into query.
The first is the weirdness of the Covid years, which created many dominant performances that didn’t translate on the subsequent degree. Wyoming didn’t face a single quality opponent (Boise State was in all probability the perfect), they usually acquired blanked by Fresno State and primarily blanked by New Mexico. It would have been good to see Neyor face a random Big Ten or SEC workforce in some unspecified time in the future, however it simply didn’t occur, and so degree of competitors was a huge query mark.
The second is the truth that they only didn’t try this a lot passing within the first place. This is a downside that pops up with a lot of Big Ten faculties, particularly as you progress additional West. While Indiana and Ohio State throw a lot, a lot of faculties (Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, and many others.) don’t. When Nico Collins, now a star receiver for the Texans, performed at Michigan, he by no means caught greater than 38 balls in a season, although on a per play foundation he was wonderful. Volume is usually an indicator of future success, as the power to demand the ball will lead to quantity, but when an offense doesn’t cross a lot within the first place, these variations can generally simply be noise.
In a excellent world, Neyor would have parlayed that glorious season into a switch to a increased quantity college, or not less than one other dominant season at Wyoming, however as an alternative a torn ACL robbed him over his whole 2022 season. He would then switch twice, first to Texas the place he did nothing in 2023 whereas recovering from harm, and actually re-injured the identical knee, dropping many of the again half of the season. He then moved on to Nebraska for his closing season, the place he was seemingly nonetheless recovering, and was simply okay.
While at Nebraska, Neyor was out-targeted by possession receiver Jacory Barney and outdoors receiver Jahmal Banks, however he was nonetheless a harmful deep menace, main the Huskers in touchdowns with 5. That mentioned, whereas falling on the depth chart at Texas is excusable, 2024 was his greatest probability for a publish harm breakout with restricted expertise for competitors, and it simply didn’t occur.
Here’s why it is best to nonetheless care. First, that early breakout exhibits what’s doable. Neyor has some expertise, and his lack of success comes with a good motive in that torn ACL. Second, any lingering considerations about his athletic profile had been put to relaxation on the mix. Neyor posted a 9.90 RAS with elite testing in every little thing however agility drills, the place he was merely good.
His closest RAS comp is Brian Thomas Jr, with Alec Pierce and Bryce Lance additionally making appearances. He’s enormous at 6-4, 218, and he’s again to full velocity.
And so, the issues with Neyor are largely in regards to the nuances of enjoying receiver. If you seek the advice of Dane Brugler’s 2025 version of The Beast, the place he ranked Neyor 28th amongst receivers with a sixth-round grade, he fawns over the athletic profile, his catch radius, and his physique management. He even praises his blocking, which can be why he’s presently a Packer. The weaknesses are all defects that may be corrected. Brugler labels Neyor an “unseasoned route runner, slow to adjust at the top of routes.” While he praises Neyor’s blocking, he does name out his approach which resulted in two penalties in 2024. And he additionally factors out that urgent corners can provide him bother.
Importantly these are all teachable abilities, and it’s value remembering that due to his two knee accidents, Neyor misplaced a lot of growth time in school the place this stuff would usually be sorted out. You can not apply route operating whenever you can not run. A 12 months on the apply squad seemingly helped Neyor greater than your common prospect. It’s tough to carry out approach work whereas on the energetic roster, the place you might be compelled to prep for video games, not refine approach. The apply squad is the proper place for unrefined athletes, and it’s not less than doable that a few of that work is beginning to repay.
Neyor appeared good in restricted work final week. He appeared way more polished as a route-runner than he ever did on his school tape. His measurement and velocity pop instantly as quickly as he steps on the sphere. And importantly, though he’s been by way of fairly a lot at this level, he solely simply turned 25.
The Packers have a fairly crowded receiver room between Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, Bo Melton, and Savion Williams, though Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks are gone. But there is room for a tall burner, and will probably be interesting to see if Neyor, or Sturdivant, or each, can proceed to impress, and perhaps even press Williams for a spot.