Fcs Football Central

2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Incarnate Word WR Jalen Walthall

An in-depth look at Incarnate Word wide receiver Jalen Walthall ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft
Gerald J. Huggins II|
Incarnate Word wide receiver Jalen Walthall (6)
Incarnate Word wide receiver Jalen Walthall (6) | Ashley Monjaras (UIW Athletics)

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UIW Cardinals

Despite battling injuries, Jalen Walthall ended his final season at Incarnate Word with an exclamation point. In just two seasons with the Cardinals, he totaled over 2,000 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns, earning consensus All-American honors in 2024.

Walthall is currently the No. 7 FCS prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, according to FCS Football Central. He's looking to become the first player in program history to be selected in the NFL Draft.

Career Statistics: 40 games played, 192 receptions, 2,595 receiving yards, and 24 receiving TDs

Accolades: First-Team All-Southland Selection (2024, 2025), Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Year (2024), Walter Payton Award Finalist (2024), First-Team FCS Football Central All-American (2024), First-Team AP FCS All-American (2024)

Scouting Report:

Jalen Walthall is a wide receiver with average size, smooth build, and good speed to be a vertical threat. He shows a quick early burst and is a quick accelerator out of his stance. He does a good job of initially fighting through contact to stay on his vertical path and possesses good top-end speed to stretch the field.

He tracks the ball downfield well and has the body control to adjust to the football. He also shows adequate contested-catch ability. His release combines physicality and shiftiness, but he needs further refinement to expand his repertoire. He is quick and agile enough to win most releases, but very ohsycal press coverage tends to throw his timing off.

His route tree needs further development, primarily used on hitches, go balls, deep psoy, and bubble screens. He does not look as clean on his in-breaking routes, though he shows the ability to sink into his frame and work back to the ball with body control and fluidity.

After the catch, he shows good vision, stop-start quickness, change-of-direction skills, and screen value that can turn short routes into huge gains. His route-running is predictable and must improve to get open consistently.

Walthall projects as a vertical, field-stretching X or Z in a Spread or Air Coryell scheme. He projects as a Fringe NFL Roster Prospect.

Projection:

Walthall projects as a fringe NFL roster, vertical, field-stretching receiver in a spread offense, allowing him to work off play-action or isolated match-ups in the boundary. He can contribute as a rotational receiver in the deep-ball and screen game. Once he refines his route-running, he will be a more consistent deep-ball threat.

Strengths:

  • Vertical threat ability
  • RAC ability
  • Catch point winner

Weaknesses:

  • Limited route tree
  • Press coverage vulnerability
  • Predictability

Best Fit: Modernized Air Coryell or Vertical RAC-based passing attack

Stylistic Player Comp: Quez Watkins

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Gerald J. Huggins II
GERALD J. HUGGINS II

Gerald J. Huggins II is the official NFL Draft analyst for FCS Football Central on SI. He serves as a national scout for the East-West Shrine Bowl and DraftHBCU. Gerald is an official voter for the Aeneas Williams and Jim Thorpe Awards. He also serves as the Director of Football Operations at Morgan State University.

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