College football is still exploring the uncharted territory of its foremost player empowerment era. NIL has reshaped the calculus of college athletes; the downstream effects are now impacting the NFL Draft.
It's now profitable to stay in school rather than darting to the NFL. That gives prospects more time to develop before the games truly count and the clock of their rookie contract starts ticking. It's no coincidence that Cam Ward had his best season in a platform year at Miami. He's far from the only success story.
NFL hopefuls work their way to new schools with their eyes on a well-earned paycheck, a more lucrative opportunity, and a supporting cast capable of boosting their stock. It doesn't always work as intended. The transfer portal remains a risk, and that's clear when examining the 2026 crop of wide receivers.
Zachariah Branch, UGA (via USC)
Branch had several reasons to leave Hollywood in search of better production. An elite athlete, getting to hone his skills against SEC competition with less target competition promised to improve his stock.
So far, he has struggled at his new school. Branch stood out against Marshall, logging 95 yards and a score against inferior competition. In the weeks since, he has posted yardage totals of 17, 69, 36, and 18, respectively. In a one-possession loss to Alabama, Branch was a non-factor.
Part of that can be attributed to the steps Branch hasn't taken in his development. At 5'9", 180 pounds, his avenues to make an impact are inherently limited. There's no room for him to turn layups into incompletions, but a 10% drop rate has held him back.
Likewise, his average depth of target has fallen to 3.0, more than half of last year's mark of 6.7 yards. This is a team that views him as a gadget player until proven otherwise. The arrow is pointing down on his stock.
Eric Singleton Jr., Auburn (via Georgia Tech)
Singleton offers a similar package of athletic traits to Branch. He, too, has seen his average depth of target shrink in his new home. However, despite playing predominantly in the slot, Singleton looks the part of an early Day 2 receiver, much like the preseason hype suggested.
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Singleton is averaging over 50 yards per game on 9.8 yards per catch. The production profile is similar to his Georgia Tech days, and he's remained a consistent part of Auburn's offensive attack. He wins underneath and has gadget versatility, but has also flashed over the top. To prove himself as a Day 2 prospect, he must do enough to be a true starting receiver, not a rotational dynamo.
So far, so good. If he keeps it up against Georgia and Missouri in the next two weeks, he'll put together an encouraging junior campaign.
Nic Anderson, LSU (via Oklahoma)
It might not be appropriate to say that transferring was the wrong choice for Anderson, who missed the entirety of the 2024 season with an injury. Still, getting started at LSU has proven to be more difficult than anticipated.
Set back by a July car accident and a stint in concussion protocol, Anderson didn't record a catch in the opener against Clemson. Despite an upgrade under center, landing with first-round hopeful Garrett Nussmeier, the production hasn't followed.
Just eight catches and 72 yards through September action have put him behind the eight ball. There's still time to emerge later in the year; he posted his highest yardage total of the season (28 yards) against an elite Ole Miss squad and has plenty of quality opponents on the docket. For now, though, Anderson may have to stay in school another season to reap the benefits that LSU has to offer.
KC Concepcion, Texas A&M (via NC State)
Another success story is Concepcion's meteoric rise at Texas A&M. It would be unfair to suggest that Concepcion wasn't on the NFL radar, having posted over 800 yards as a freshman. However, after a down year last season, the Aggies' newest star is redefining his NFL trajectory.
In the SEC, Concepcion has nearly doubled his yards per target from 2024 (5.2 to 10.3 so far this season). He's made plays against Auburn and Notre Dame, dominated the lesser teams on the schedule, and flashed rushing and special teams versatility in the process.
Concepcion plays bigger than his 5'11" frame, makes plays at every level of the field, checks the production box, and is creating highlights every week. He's well on his way to early Day 2 capital, and as we've seen before, it only takes one team being high on a receiver to take them late in Round 1.
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