Anthony Gould was a three-star prospect out of West Salem High School in Salem, Oregon. Gould played running back and wide receiver in high school and helped lead his team to the quarterfinals of the 2018 OSAA Championships. That season, he logged 1,009 receiving yards, 612 rushing yards, and 24 total touchdowns, including two punt returns. He also excelled at track, finishing second in the 2018 state 6A championships in the 100 meters at 10.66 and serving as a member of the 6A 2018 4x100 relay team at the state championships.
Gould redshirted his first year and played sparingly his first three years at Oregon State. As a junior, he became a starter and tallied 27 receptions for 457 yards on only 43 targets. His 18.3 yards per punt return led the nation, and his two punt return touchdowns helped him earn first-team All-American honors as a returner.
Gould stepped into an even more significant role this past season, finishing with 47 receptions for 765 yards and three touchdowns. While his production might look pedestrian, it's more of a result of the offense he played in. Gould is one of only three wide receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft class to average 2.5 yards per route run each of the last two seasons (Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malachi Corley are the others).
He went to the East-West Shrine Bowl after the season and was a standout in practices before returning a punt 80 yards for a touchdown in the game.
Oregon State WR Anthony Gould #BuildingTheBoard
— Chicago Football Connection (@CFCBears) February 9, 2024
One of the most underrated players in this draft. He stood out to me because he has something you can't teach: Speed
But beyond the speed he is also a polished route runner with good hands and tracks the ball over his shoulder… pic.twitter.com/1JOF5PBbrU
The Chicago Bears need more weapons. Plain and simple. And it wouldn't surprise me to see them double dip at the position with one receiver in the first three rounds and one on Day 3. Gould is one of my favorite Day 3 sleepers who can carve out a role in the NFL.
If the Bears draft a true X wideout option like Rome Odunze, Javon Baker, or Keon Coleman, Gould would be a nice complementary piece who can win in the slot with his foot quickness and speed. On the other hand, if they draft a wide receiver like Malik Nabers, Xavier Worthy, or Ladd McConkey, they may want a bigger X wide receiver on Day 3.
As a prospect, Gould provides something that can't be taught: speed. That will be his calling card, but he's more than a one-trick pony. Gould can manipulate defenders and lives in cornerbacks' blind spots to get open. He has no wasted movements when running routes and quickly gets in and out of his cuts. He'll have to learn that not every route needs to be run at a full sprint, and he has to vary his route speed more consistently to win in the NFL.
Even if Gould doesn't pan out as a wide receiver, he has experience on special teams, specifically as a punt returner, where he showed good vision and athleticism, scoring two punt return touchdowns this season and adding another in the Shrine Bowl. NFL teams will have him on their draft boards even without his receiving ability because he's a legitimate weapon as a punt returner.
Gould will likely run in the 4.3s in the 40, which could cause him to rise up draft boards. But in such a deep wide receiver class, he should be selected sometime on Day 3, and I'd feel comfortable drafting him as early as the fourth round.
Pro Comparison: Rondale Moore
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