2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Iowa State WR Jaylin Noel

From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Iowa State WR Jaylin Noel.

No. 13 JAYLIN NOEL, WR, IOWA STATE (SENIOR)– 5096, 196 POUNDS

Senior Bowl 

MEASUREMENTS

THE GOOD

— Has good play speed and quickness for the position
— Has a strong, filled out frame for his size
— Does a great job accelerating and decelerating when running routes
— Can whip back to the football quickly on comebacks and stem his breaks
— Hits a second gear when stretching the field vertically, getting a step on the coverage
— Has sure hands to secure the catch
— Plays bigger than his listed size as a contested catcher
— Displays impressive body control when the ball is in the air
— Can adjust to off-target throws and off-shoulder passes
— Effective with the ball in open space as a return man

THE BAD

— Lacks ideal height and length
— May struggle battling press man coverage against bigger corners
— Pure long speed is a question
— Lacks length to maximize catch radius
— May get relegated to the slot at the next level

BIO

— Senior prospect from Kansas City, MO
— Born September 4, 2002 (age 22)
— Communication studies major
— Three-star recruit according to Rivals
— Proposed to his fiancé, Aliyah Hunter, prior to the start of his senior season
— Also lettered in track & field as an all-conference high jumper and sprinter in high school
— Played in 13 games with three starts in 2021 and recorded 39 receptions for 269 yards, returned 15 punts for 92 yards, and returned 11 kicks for 286 yards
— Played in 12 games, with eight starts in 2022 and had 60 receptions for 572 yards and three touchdowns, returned 11 punts for 56 yards, rushed three times for 47 yards, and had 14 kick returns for 237 yards
— Played in 12 games, making 11 starts in 2023 and had 66 receptions for 820 yards and seven touchdowns, returned 14 punts for 119 yards, and returned nine kicks for 245 yards
— Saw action in all 14 games, making 11 starts in 2024 and had 80 receptions, 1,194 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns, returned 13 punts for 199 yards, and returned three kicks for 53 yards
— Team Captain (2023-24), Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year (2024), First-team All-Big 12 (2024), Second-team All-Big 12 (2023)

TAPE BREAKDOWN

Jaylin Noel came into Iowa State in 2021 and developed into quite the player for the Cyclones during his college career, saving his best season for last in 2024 when the senior went for nearly 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns.

When you pop in the tape on Noel, you see a small, yet dynamic playmaker before and after the catch, having the foot quickness and route running savvy to uncover quickly against coverage. Watch this rep against Utah where Noel is facing man coverage and runs down the field, dropping his hips and chopping his feet to come back to the football on the comeback route.

Noel breaks out of his routes quickly as you can see in the clip below against the Utes on this slant route, getting the defender to pause his feet as he breaks inside to uncover for the catch and pick up the first down.

You see Noel’s route running show up on his deep routes as well, stemming them at the right time with quick footwork to break open. Check out this play against Kansas where Noel starts up the slot and runs up the seam, taking a jab step to his left to get the defender to bite before breaking inside, getting open on the skinny post and tracking the ball down the field to make the catch.

For being a smaller receiver, Noel does a great job winning down the field vertically. He can separate from coverage to get a step to make the catch and know how to stack defenders from the slot, as well as play leverage when running across the field. You see that in the first clip against Kansas on the deep over route. In the second clip, Noel runs a slot fade at the bottom of your screen to the sideline, getting a step on the defender tasked with covering him and making the catch in the end zone for the score.

Noel has also shown that he can be capable of making catches in close quarters with other defenders, making contested catches routinely down at the Senior Bowl as well as on tape. Watch this play Noel makes on this underthrown pass by the quarterback, going up to get it on top of the defender for the jump ball reception.

Noel also can contribute in the return game with 466 punt return yards and 821 kick return yards during his college career. He does a good job seeing the field with the ball in his hands and setting up his blocks to get into open space.

CONCLUSION

Jaylin Noel is an undersized, yet polished prospect who can make plays all over the field from the slot, winning quickly as a route runner on short and intermediate concepts while also being able to stretch the field and win jump balls down the field, too. He is best suited for the slot at the next level, but his route running savvy and his body control and athleticism should help him contribute early for whatever team drafts him.

When coming up with a pro comp for Noel, Ladd McConkey came to mind as another slightly undersized wide receiver who excels in the slot and can win with quickness. McConkey may have better long speed than Noel, but both play with similar quickness and route nuance at all levels of the field.

The Pittsburgh Steelers need to add to their wide receiver corps, and Noel could be a Day 2 target. They already have a few slot receivers on the roster with Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson, but Noel is a playmaker who deserves consideration, even if he is a tad redundant for Pittsburgh given his measurables.

Projection: Day 2
Depot Draft Grade: 8.2 – Future Quality Starter (2nd Round)
Games Watched: at Utah (2024), at Kansas (2024), vs Kansas State (2024)