Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond was a Georgia state track champion and four-star recruit to the University of Alabama, where he’d play two seasons before transferring to the Longhorns after Nick Saban retired.
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 180 pounds
40 time: 4.39 seconds
Even though Bond never really produced a monster statistical line, the true junior has shown enough in a reduced role to have NFL scouts keen on his transition to the pros. It will be awfully surprising if he falls past Round 4, even if the numbers alone don’t necessarily warrant a higher selection.
Table: WR Isaiah Bond, Texas (2022-24)
*includes postseason/bowl games (stats from Sports Reference)
Pros
- Game-breaking speed — official 4.39-second 40 time at the NFL Scouting Combine might even be considered a disappointment
- Electric with the ball in his hands — a legit threat to house it from anywhere
- Lethal on crossing and dig routes but experienced with a wide range of route concepts
- Creates adequate separation to compensate for a lack of length and physicality
- Reliable hands
- System and role versatility — can fit into most NFL designs and is able to be moved around the field, but he’ll be at his best in a timing-based passing game
- Offers utility across all three levels of the route tree
- Unafraid to mix it up over the middle
- Untapped potential — often was used as a decoy or played second fiddle
Cons
- Despite his willingness to compete in traffic, it’s far from his strong suit
- Lack of size limits his catch radius and functional strength trying to get away from press coverage
- Hampered late in 2024 after suffering and later aggravating an ankle injury
- Seriously underutilized — while it leaves room for upside, that’s not to say he isn’t without question marks heading into the NFL
Fantasy football outlook
Finding a one-for-one NFL comparison rarely happens, so a blended view is most often the best path. Size and speed comps are close for Jaylen Waddle, though the Miami Dolphin has demonstrated he can be a possession guy when needed. There’s a hint of Henry Ruggs in his game, too — all three having Alabama ties makes sense given the profile Saban recruited. Baltimore Ravens WR Zay Flowers is a great example of what Bond could develop into as a ceiling.
In the short term, Bond profiles as a fantasy DFS option or potential waiver pickup for matchup deployment. Given his limited run in college and lack of targets, expect a gradual maturation process with scripted touches to exploit defenders with his raw athleticism being likely early on. The long-range view has the speedster among the most intriguing high-upside picks at the position with WR2 a strong possibility by Year 2.
