NFL Analyst Makes Plea To League Regarding Bearcats Draft Prospect Jeff Caldwell

One of many draft candidates for UC this weekend.

Nov 29, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Jeff Caldwell (9) scores a touchdown during the game between the Horned Frogs and the Bearcats at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

UC wide receiver Jeff Caldwell has skyrocketed up 2026 NFL Draft big boards entering this weekend's big event, and ESPN's Louis Riddick is the latest analyst to take notice.

He posted on X this week that he really hopes the right team picks the most athletic wide receiver in the 2026 class.

"Please, please, please let Cincinnati WR Jeff Caldwell get drafted by a team with a good WR room/WR coach and good QB. He is going to BLOW UP if so," Riddick posted.

Blow Up Incoming?

Arizona Wildcats defensive back Dalton Johnson (43) tackles Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Jeff Caldwell (9) in the fourth quarter of the NCAA football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Arizona Wildcats at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Nov. 15, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Maybe one of those good homes could leave him with not much of a move to make after the draft. According to the Mock Draft Database's consensus big board, Caldwell is ranked 168th overall. 

All of this after starting the draft cycle in January ranked outside the top 300 prospects. The Cincinnati Bengals have two picks in the sixth round (No. 189 and 199), making Caldwell a solid value for them if they used one of those on the speedy talent.

Caldwell performed admirably last season, with 32 catches for 478 yards and six touchdowns. He then went to the NFL Combine and stacked the second-most athletic wide receiver testing profile dating back to 1987.

Caldwell ran an official 4.31-second 40-yard dash to lead all wide receivers this year and broad jumped 11'2", which also paced the entire WR testing group at the combine. Only NFL legend Calvin Johnson performed better at a size like Caldwell's among 4,190 tested receivers since 1987.

UC head coach Scott Satterfield is excited to see where his guys land.

"Obviously, we know Jake Golday is going to be a high draft pick," Satterfield said this past weekend. "Excited about some of the other guys and see where they go. Joe Royer is going to get drafted. We'll see how it ends up with a guy like Cyrus Allen, who has been moving up a lot of guys' draft boards, and tested outstanding in the Pro Day. So hopefully we'll get maybe four guys, maybe 3-4 guys drafted, and then we'll have several more that will be in camps, for sure. You know, this is a talented senior class that came out."

Please please please let @GoBearcatsFB WR Jeff Caldwell get drafted by a team with a good WR room/WR coach and good QB. He is going to BLOW UP if so….
🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) April 21, 2026

Jeff Caldwell is a WR prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 10.00 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 2 out of 4190 WR from 1987 to 2026.https://t.co/ouxCKYCrgp pic.twitter.com/RhRJMKn4uQ

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 16, 2026

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