In what should be another deep wide receiver class, where does Louisville wide receiver Caullin Lacy currently rank with his 2025 NFL Draft scouting report? After transferring from South Alabama, Lacy will have one last gambit to raise his stock in 2024.
Caullin Lacy’s Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 5’8 3/8″
- Weight: 192 pounds
- Position: Wide Receiver
- School: Louisville
- Current Year: Redshirt Senior
The transfer portal era has created golden opportunities for the best lower-conference prospects, and Lacy is one of those in the 2025 NFL Draft cycle.
After originally joining the South Alabama Jaguars as a three-star recruit, Lacy grew to become a versatile and dynamic offensive force, peaking in 2023 when he accrued 91 catches for 1,316 yards and seven touchdowns.
Lacy’s elite production late in his career at South Alabama earned him a roster spot with the Louisville Cardinals of the ACC. He’ll only have one year to boost his stock, but he’s well-positioned to make the most of his opportunity.
Lacy’s Scouting Report
Strengths
- Extremely explosive, twitched-up mover who can expand and retract strides on demand.
- Has the foot speed and effervescent lateral twitch to off-set defenders on split releases.
- Can tempo his releases upfield and then cut tight angles on slants and in-breakers.
- Has effortless hip sink on route breaks, and can carry acceleration through transitions.
- Able to press vertically into stems, then quickly retract and hinge around on breaks.
- Has a good feel for route depth and makes himself available quickly in the short range.
- Can use his lateral burst and twitch to reposition and slide his way into open zones.
- Can use foot speed, energy, and bend to stack quick route transitions working upfield.
- Has the vision, tracking skills, and body control to make high-difficulty adjustments low.
- Possesses great ball-tracking ability in the deep third, and can flow underneath passes.
- Has shown he can gather RAC passes away from his frame, then quickly reset his feet.
- Able to gather quick passes in-stride, and has the long speed to house short RAC plays.
- Has a degree of usage versatility and schematic insulation potential on RAC designs.
- Despite smaller stature and radius, does have good density and natural leverage.
- As a run blocker, at least flashes good effort and angle IQ when holding the boundary.
Weaknesses
- Has poor size overall, which impacts his play strength and playmaking radius.
- Long speed, while stellar, may be a notch below the elite mark on the vertical plane.
- Struggles to fight through press coverage against longer, stronger defenders.
- With lacking size, can be delayed relatively easily at stems by defender tugs and jams.
- Occasionally fails to adequately press into stems, and keys in DBs on his route breaks.
- Sometimes lets passes too far into his frame, sourcing instability and risking drops.
- On occasion, can be prone to focus drops over the middle when threatened with contact.
- Size deficiencies naturally produce limitations as a run blocker on the boundary.
- Smaller frame impacts his sturdiness against power and limits viability late in reps.
- Will turn 24 years old in December of his rookie season.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Entering the 2025 NFL Draft cycle, Lacy grades out as a mid-Day 3 prospect. While it’s likely that his stock settles in the early-to-mid Day 3 range, he has the skills to be a quality rotational WR and a special teams asset at the NFL level.
At 5’8 3/8″ and 192 pounds, Lacy is noticeably undersized, and that mold impacts his viability in certain phases — particularly against physicality. But Lacy’s player type also affords him natural separation ability, RAC value, and vertical skill.
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With his effervescent foot speed and lateral twitch, Lacy can off-set defenders, stack quick route breaks, and separate independently. He has solid hands and catching instincts at the conversion point, and he has the speed to extend and create big plays as well.
Lacy still struggles greatly against press coverage and against physicality at stems — a weakness that may allude to a primary slot role at the NFL level. But with his separation skills, he can be a target funnel at multiple ranges, and with his speed and RAC ability, he can be schemed touches.
Ultimately, Lacy projects best as a dynamic WR3/4 with usage versatility, and he has added value as a kick returner. He can carve out a place as a worthy rotational presence, and his dynamic edge is unique.