Cayden Lee WR Ole Miss |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #19 ROLE: Slot Receiver | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.49 seconds (55%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 21.8 DOB: 11/17/2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #19 | |
| ROLE: Slot Receiver | |
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.49 seconds (55%*) | |
| Age: 21.8 DOB: 11/17/2004 | |
| Overall Rating: |
80.7 / 100
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|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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78% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 109.4 | |
| Hands: |
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83% |
| Short Receiving: |
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78% |
| Intermediate Routes: |
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85% |
| Deep Threat: |
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82% |
| Blocking: |
|
51% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
5th
Overall Rank:
#163
Position rank:
#22 (WR)
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| College Games: 36 College Snaps: 1475 | ||
ESPN RATING: 78/100
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247 RATING: 88/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charlie Jones - Purdue |
|
98% |
| Cyrus Allen - Cincinnati |
|
94% |
| Kevin Coleman Jr. - Missouri |
|
88% |
Draft Profile: Bio
The journey from Kennesaw Mountain High School to Oxford ran through three Georgia schools before Lee, nicknamed "Honeycomb," broke out with 74 catches for 1,101 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior and chose Ole Miss over Georgia, Oklahoma, and USC. In 2024 he caught 57 passes for 874 yards without a drop, highlighted by nine receptions for 132 yards against LSU.Lee appeared in all 15 games of Ole Miss' 2025 College Football Playoff season, catching 44 passes for 632 yards and three touchdowns with scores against LSU, Washington State, and The Citadel. He posted seven receptions for 77 yards in the Egg Bowl at Mississippi State and caught five passes for 67 yards in the Fiesta Bowl against Miami. The Rebels routed Tulane 41-10 in the playoff's first round and beat Georgia 39-34 in the Sugar Bowl before falling 31-27 to the Hurricanes.
After quarterback Trinidad Chambliss was denied an additional year of eligibility, Lee entered the transfer portal in January 2026 and committed to Missouri for his final college season.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Reliable slot hands, dropped only two passes across the season
- Sharp intermediate route runner who settles into zone windows
- Sure-handed chain-mover who converted 28 first downs in 2025
- Scored against LSU and posted 77 in the Egg Bowl
- Battle-tested in a College Football Playoff offense across 15 games
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Average speed, does not threaten a defense vertically
- Slight frame limits both his contested wins and after-the-catch production
- Modest overall yardage, more of a possession piece than a difference-maker
- Wins on craft and timing rather than separation quickness
Scouting Report: Summary
Cayden Lee is the kind of dependable slot receiver an offense trusts on third down. He caught 44 balls for 632 yards for Ole Miss with only two drops, a sharp intermediate route runner who settles into zone windows and moves the chains, converting 28 first downs across a 15-game College Football Playoff season. He scored against LSU and turned in a steady seven-catch, 77-yard Egg Bowl against Mississippi State.The ceiling is capped by athletic traits. His timed speed is average, so he does not threaten a defense vertically, and his slight frame limits both his contested work and his yards after the catch. The overall yardage is modest, which frames him as a possession piece rather than a featured target, and he wins on craft and timing more than separation.
He fits a timing offense that wants a reliable underneath slot, and he carries that game to Missouri in 2026. Overall, the hands and route sense give him a real floor, and Lee projects as a dependable depth slot and special-teams contributor whose draft case rests on reliability rather than upside. He also profiles as a scheme-diverse backup who can line up across the inside alignments, and the playoff experience against SEC defenses says the moment will not be too big for him early.
How other scouting services rate Cayden Lee (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
160.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
20.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.