Oregon WR Troy Franklin left the Pac-12 Championship Game with an apparent injury. What do we know about the injury, and what kind of stock does he have in the 2024 NFL Draft class?
Troy Franklin Injury Update
On a third-down pass over the middle early in the Pac-12 Championship Game, a Washington defensive back drove on the ball and contacted Franklin, who fell down awkwardly on his left side. The WR fell with his arm extended out, and he remained down on the field.
Trainers came out and looked at his left shoulder, and he was then seen on the sideline with trainers, who seemed to be working on the mobility of that left arm.
Franklin had a record-breaking season for the Ducks in 2023, catching 77 passes for 1,349 yards and 14 TDs. Before injuring his shoulder, the Oregon WR had one catch for 11 yards on Friday.
Franklin returned for the next Ducks drive and appeared to be OK.
Franklin’s NFL Draft Profile
Franklin is an interesting yet universally adored prospect. He fits somewhat in the mold of Brandon Aiyuk coming from Arizona State, except he’s not as densely built, and he is faster as a player.
We must remember that the Aiyuk of today is not the Aiyuk of yesteryear. Aiyuk has developed into one of the league’s premier route runners, but it wasn’t always that way.
Franklin’s speed, length, and explosiveness make him an immediate downfield threat at the NFL level. He’s also quite adequate as a route runner, but he possesses a more linear frame that does not lend itself to top-tier hip fluidity, which could cap his ceiling.
Not everybody with a welterweight frame struggles to finish through contact, but there are times when you come away wanting Franklin to finish in contested situations with more consistency, especially considering he’s not a high-end route runner.
But Franklin also provides upside after the catch. He’s creative with the ball in his hands, and that lack of flexibility he shows as a route runner shows up in spades when he has the ball in his hands. He can bounce and contort off of hits and stay on his feet.
In a class so stacked with big, athletic receivers, there is a chance that Franklin gets a bit lost in the shuffle. Ian Cummings compared Franklin to the former Jets, Panthers, and current Miami Dolphin Robbie Chosen.
From a frame, explosion, and style standpoint, it’s hard to come away with a better comparison for the player. Chosen had his moments as an explosive playmaker, and early in Franklin’s career, he could be a high-end explosive complement to a legitimate alpha No. 1 while he develops as a three-level threat.
