From now until the 2025 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to 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, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Florida wide receiver Elijhah Badger.
#6 ELIJHAH BADGER, WR, FLORIDA (rSR) – 6013, 200 lbs.
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Elijhah Badger | 6013/200 | 9 1/2 | 32 1/8 | 78 5/8 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.43 | 1.53 | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | 35.5 | N/A |
The Good
— Good size, speed, and length
— Experience outside and in the slot
— Solid footwork versus Press
— Physical at the top of route and solid hand usage within the route
— Tracks the deep ball well
— Effective on Post routes
— Good at reading blocks and slipping tackles for extra yards
— Success as a kick returner
— Effort improved as a blocker
The Bad
— Route running is adequate on the short and intermediate areas
— Doesn’t seem to play at full speed
— Hand usage versus Press is adequate
— Build up speed; takes time to get going
— Burst and acceleration out of breaks is marginal
— Runs upright leaving body open for physical defenders to slow his progress
— Bobbles on throws at his waist and below
— Will drift near teammates versus zone coverage
— Slow to position and ducks head on second level blocks
Bio
— Career: 181 receptions, 2,446 yards, 13.5 YPR, 14 TD; 18 carries, 111 yards, 6.2 YPC, 3 TD; 21 KR, 600 yards, 28.6 YPR
— 2024: 39 receptions, 806 yards, 20.7 YPR, 4 TD, 1 KR for 22 yards
— Four years at Arizona State (2020-2023), transferred and spent 2024 season at Florida
— 2025 Hula Bowl participant
— 47 games, 31 starts
— Two-time All-PAC-12 Honorable Mention (2022-23)
— 2023 led the PAC-12 in kickoff return yardage KO return average
— 2023 had a back injury, missed the final game of the season, and was limited in spring practice in 2024
— Volunteered to feed the homeless
— Birthday 5/18/2001 (23)
Tape Breakdown
Elijhah Badger is of good height and weight and has good length, hand size and speed. He began his career at Arizona State before transferring to Florida for his final season. He has experience playing outside and in the slot, and was also an effective kick returner.
As a receiver against press defenders, he uses solid footwork getting off the line while using a shoulder dip to avoid jams. Against zone coverage, he is solid finding an open window. Within the route, he is solid using his hands to knock away the defender’s hands and will use physicality at the top of the route to create space. He displays solid hands overall and adjusts well to balls away from his frame.
Working against zone, he is good at finding the open space.
Subtle physicality to create space at the break point.
On deep routes, he has build-up speed and looked best on post routes using a jab step outside to manipulate the defender. He tracks the deep ball well and shows solid effort on the scramble drill to find open areas. After the catch, he is tough to bring down and can slip a tackler to add extra yards.
Here he is making plays on the deep ball.
In the run game, he was used on jet/fly sweeps and had solid vision and mental processing to read his blocks and find open gaps. His blocking effort overall was solid, willing to put the effort in at the end of the line or versus his defender when outside.
Here, he reads blocks to find space.
Technique is inconsistent but his effort to block improved.
His route running overall is adequate. He looks like he is going through the motions on the short and intermediate levels. There is marginal burst out of his breaks or in his hip drop. He runs upright, allowing defenders to get their hands into him, slowing him off the line and knocking him off his route. Against off coverages, his quickness off the line of scrimmage is adequate and he’s a one speed runner in the short and intermediate areas.
There were a few bobbles in his film, and he looked a little uncomfortable on throws at the waist. Versus zone coverage he will drift into the areas of teammates. When asked to block at the second level inside, he was slow to get into position and ducks his head allowing defenders to get around him too easily.
Getting jammed at the line of scrimmage.
Conclusion
Overall, Badger has good size, length, speed and experience playing outside and in the slot. He has solid footwork off the line of scrimmage, can find open windows versus Zone and is solid using his hands and physicality within the route. Deep balls are tracked well, and he can slip tacklers to add extra yards. He puts in solid effort as a blocker, reads and reacts well to his blocks on jet sweeps and was an effective kick returner.
Areas to improve include his route running on the short and intermediate levels. Improving his play speed, burst and acceleration off the line and out of his breaks will give him more opportunities to get open. Using his size more at the line of scrimmage, taking on defenders as a blocker will benefit him overall.
Badger has a lot of experience and has put up solid production over his career while playing with a lot of different quarterbacks. There are glimpses of his ability in the games I watched, but overall, there was no urgency to his game. The majority of his routes seemed to be at half-speed. The right coach may be able to get him to put a little giddy up in his step to be more effective. He could earn a roster spot as a reserve receiver who can be a Z or slot receiver and your kick returner.
For a player comp, I will give you Byron Pringle. He came out of college as a good deep ball threat and kick returner who needed to improve on route running, working against press and as a blocker.
Projection: Late Day Three/UDFA
Depot Draft Grade: 6.0 Undrafted Free Agent (PFA)
Games Watched: 2023 – At Washington; 2024 – Vs Texas A&M, At Tennessee, Vs Kentucky, Vs Ole Miss
