Foot Ball
If Jaden Bray hadn't suffered a series of major injuries during his career, I honestly believe that he would have been a Day 2 pick in the 2026 NFL draft. For example, Chris Bell from Louisville was taken late in the 3rd round by the Miami Dolphins. IMO, a healthy Bray would have become a better prospect than Bell. Demarcus Robinson was a late 4th round pick in 2016. Without knowing how Robinson's career would go, if you put a healthy Bray and Robinson in the same draft pool, I'd take Bray ahead of Robinson.
Bray has a prototypical NFL frame. He's not like many of the other Day 3 to UDFA type WR prospects who are too small, too slow or lacking in talent and are only candidates to be backups in the pros. Not so with Bray. He passes the "eye test", he looks like an NFL WR. This is what makes him intriguing to me. His ceiling is much higher than most off the radar prospects. He offers position versatility, because he has the size and athleticism to play either the X receiver position on the outside or be a big slot WR on the inside.
The obvious problem is we're talking about a player who might not be healthy enough to ever appear in an NFL preseason game. He could be one bad step in training camp from his football career being over. If he got hurt again in 2026, he probably doesn't even get invited to a rookie minicamp, his football career could be over.
Instead of already being on an NFL roster, Bray is a mystery man who likely will get a medical red flag from NFL teams and end up on the "do not draft" board. Plus, since he's been in school so long due to the injuries, he's too old. Even if he stayed healthy in 2026 and has a breakout season, it is difficult to imagine a scenario where he becomes more than a late round pick.
For much of his career, Bray was a backup WR with very limited production. I watched some tape on him from that period and he wasn't overly impressive or consistent. I can see why he wasn't getting more playing time. Still, he showed flashes of potential. The size and athleticism were there. Then, a string of injuries robbed him of multiple years.
At the beginning of the 2025 season, it looked to me like Bray was poised to have a breakout season and become a late bloomer. He looked physically stronger than ever. His technique was cleaner. Another injury very early in the season shattered those hopes.
Bray isn't completely off the radar. Draftnik types seem to like him and take him in mock drafts for their team as a flyer pick, sometimes as early as the 5th round. If NFL teams feel the same way, there is a chance Bray will get drafted. Five different NFL teams can't all draft him in the 7th round as a flyer. If enough teams like you, it can push you up the board.
Back in 2024, I really liked a WR prospect named Devaughn Vele. He had served an LDS mission and was going to be a 27-year-old rookie. The Broncos drafted him in the 7th round, doing exactly what I typically did in draft simulators. The decision paid off well. After a solid rookie year, the Broncos traded Vele to the Saints the following preseason for a 4th round pick and a future 7th round pick. Nice return on investment.
My NFL comp for Bray is Nick Toon, who was on the PS for the Rams in 2015. Toon played at Wisconsin. He had a foot injury his final year in college, then injured his foot again working out in preparation for the draft. The injuries crumbled his draft stock from the 2nd round down to the late 4th round. Toon had limited production for the Saints. He made 2 starts in 2014 and had 215 receiving yards but was waived at the start of 2015 with an injury designation. Not much of a career for a player who was projected as a potential NFL starter.
I don't have an actual draft grade to assign this prospect. Too many variables.
Could the Rams steal a starting WR by getting Bray in next year's draft? Or did his 2025 injury already close the book on his NFL dreams? Keep your eye on this WR in 2026 and by the end of the season we'll have a much better grasp on the answer.
If Jaden Bray hadn't suffered a series of major injuries during his career, I honestly believe that he would have been a Day 2 pick in the 2026 NFL draft. For example, Chris Bell from Louisville was taken late in the 3rd round by the Miami Dolphins. IMO, a healthy Bray would have become a better prospect than Bell. Demarcus Robinson was a late 4th round pick in 2016. Without knowing how Robinson's career would go, if you put a healthy Bray and Robinson in the same draft pool, I'd take Bray ahead of Robinson.
Bray has a prototypical NFL frame. He's not like many of the other Day 3 to UDFA type WR prospects who are too small, too slow or lacking in talent and are only candidates to be backups in the pros. Not so with Bray. He passes the "eye test", he looks like an NFL WR. This is what makes him intriguing to me. His ceiling is much higher than most off the radar prospects. He offers position versatility, because he has the size and athleticism to play either the X receiver position on the outside or be a big slot WR on the inside.
The obvious problem is we're talking about a player who might not be healthy enough to ever appear in an NFL preseason game. He could be one bad step in training camp from his football career being over. If he got hurt again in 2026, he probably doesn't even get invited to a rookie minicamp, his football career could be over.
Instead of already being on an NFL roster, Bray is a mystery man who likely will get a medical red flag from NFL teams and end up on the "do not draft" board. Plus, since he's been in school so long due to the injuries, he's too old. Even if he stayed healthy in 2026 and has a breakout season, it is difficult to imagine a scenario where he becomes more than a late round pick.
For much of his career, Bray was a backup WR with very limited production. I watched some tape on him from that period and he wasn't overly impressive or consistent. I can see why he wasn't getting more playing time. Still, he showed flashes of potential. The size and athleticism were there. Then, a string of injuries robbed him of multiple years.
At the beginning of the 2025 season, it looked to me like Bray was poised to have a breakout season and become a late bloomer. He looked physically stronger than ever. His technique was cleaner. Another injury very early in the season shattered those hopes.
Bray isn't completely off the radar. Draftnik types seem to like him and take him in mock drafts for their team as a flyer pick, sometimes as early as the 5th round. If NFL teams feel the same way, there is a chance Bray will get drafted. Five different NFL teams can't all draft him in the 7th round as a flyer. If enough teams like you, it can push you up the board.
Back in 2024, I really liked a WR prospect named Devaughn Vele. He had served an LDS mission and was going to be a 27-year-old rookie. The Broncos drafted him in the 7th round, doing exactly what I typically did in draft simulators. The decision paid off well. After a solid rookie year, the Broncos traded Vele to the Saints the following preseason for a 4th round pick and a future 7th round pick. Nice return on investment.
My NFL comp for Bray is Nick Toon, who was on the PS for the Rams in 2015. Toon played at Wisconsin. He had a foot injury his final year in college, then injured his foot again working out in preparation for the draft. The injuries crumbled his draft stock from the 2nd round down to the late 4th round. Toon had limited production for the Saints. He made 2 starts in 2014 and had 215 receiving yards but was waived at the start of 2015 with an injury designation. Not much of a career for a player who was projected as a potential NFL starter.
I don't have an actual draft grade to assign this prospect. Too many variables.
Could the Rams steal a starting WR by getting Bray in next year's draft? Or did his 2025 injury already close the book on his NFL dreams? Keep your eye on this WR in 2026 and by the end of the season we'll have a much better grasp on the answer.