SI All-American Candidate Troy Franklin Highlights and Evaluation
Prospect: WR Troy Franklin
Projected Position: Wide Receiver
Status: SI All-American candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-1, 175 pounds
School: Atherton (Calif.) Menlo
Committed to: Oregon
Frame: Slender and lean frame. Tightly-wound body with good definition.
Athleticism: Impressive foot and body quickness to release off the line. Easy ability to stem-up off-coverage and has excellent speed to stack. Capable of growing gaps at breakpoints in route running to separate. Speed is a consistent threat to back-end defenders and can remove the top off of coverage. Dynamic in RAC-phase with good burst and elusiveness.
Instincts: Will alter tempo in releases with a solid plan. Good understanding of basic leverage. Decent to stem initially off line and capable of detaching from coverage with effective secondary releases. Mostly nestle catches to secure balls. Good instincts with the ball and has natural playmaking ability.
Polish: Aligns on the perimeter and also can work from the slot, and is given the ball in a variety of ways - quick game, vertical game, screens, etc. Needs to add strength to release versus physical press coverage in college and diversify his route tree. Also will need to become more consistent attacking balls with his mitts.
Bottom Line: Explosive and electric, Franklin can make plays in a variety of ways, as well as in the return game. He has terrific quickness and play speed to consistently threaten a secondary and can be lethal in quick game concepts. As he’s not challenged often at the line, Franklin projects best as a talented “Z” receiver in a college offense.