Nov 23, 2024; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini wide receiver Pat Bryant (13) attempts to male a catch during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

New York Giants Draft Prospect: WR Pat Bryant, Illinois

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Nick Falato | Last updated Jan 18, 2025 4:00 PM ET

Welcome to our New York Giants draft prospect profiles. Every day, we'll have a profile of a draft prospect in different positions whose skill set could fit what the Giants are looking for.

Pat Bryant, WR

He is a former three-star recruit out of Atlantic Coast High School in Jacksonville, Florida, where he was the 100th-ranked recruit in his state and 142nd WR in the 2021 cycle. Bryant earned Second-Team All-Big-Ten in 2024 as a team captain.

Bryant caught 70.1% of his passes in 2024 with 18.2 yards per reception and just one drop – wildly efficient! Bryant secured 66.7% of his contested catches in 2024 with 2.83 yards per route run.

Bryant was the only player in the country to catch THREE game-winning touchdowns in the final two-minutes OR overtime in 2024. Bryant tied the Illinois single-season record with 10 touchdown receptions, matching Brandon Lloyd (2001) and David Williams (1985).

He did opt out of Illinois’ bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft. Bryant will be in attendance at the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Summary

Pat Bryant possesses excellent size and is a three-level threat with good feet and an exceptional ability to remain balanced through tight cuts.

He’s tough at the catch point, provides a reliable catch radius that made him a contested catch monster, and is a load to bring down to the deck once his acceleration kicks in.

He’s not a twitchy athlete but he’s an efficient and controlled mover with route running upside; his tape has plenty of “unique” routes throughout and he displayed fluidity and balance while executing those movements. He does well to create separation vs. man coverage and has a high football IQ to find the soft spots in zone.

Bryant did not consistently face press coverage, nor did he showcase a diverse release package off the line of scrimmage.

These areas of his game need to be refined at the next level. Still, his physical tools, competitive toughness, and overall skill set will result in him starting in an 11-personnel package at the next level.

GRADE: 6.35