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Ja’Corey Brooks 2025 NFL Draft Tape | Louisville WR
At 6’2” and 184 pounds, Brooks is about the same height as Noah Brown, but roughly 40 pounds lighter. Like many undrafted free agents, he has shows both promise and limitations.
Here’s his draft profile from Draft Buzz:
After a shoulder injury derailed his junior season, Brooks sought a fresh start at Louisville and found it – exploding for 61 catches, 1,013 yards and 9 touchdowns in his final collegiate season.
He ranked 27th nationally in receiving yards and 20th in touchdowns, silencing questions about whether his Alabama flashes were simply a product of being surrounded by elite talent. In the hyper-competitive ACC, he finished second in yards and third in touchdowns, establishing himself as the Cardinals’ undisputed top target. The transfer gamble paid dividends for both player and program, with Brooks becoming Louisville’s first 1,000-yard receiver since 2022.
He’s neither a pure possession receiver nor a true deep threat – instead occupying a challenging middle ground that requires schematic assistance. With proper coaching focused on route precision and release techniques, Brooks could outperform his draft position as a complementary piece. His ceiling appears capped by athletic limitations, but his floor is raised by special teams value and situational receiving utility that could earn him a steady NFL role.
His 4.65 deep speed raises legitimate concerns for his vertical game, yet his intermediate-to-deep receiving grades tell a different story. Brooks compensates through excellent body positioning and ball-tracking skills, finding ways to win despite athletic limitations. When watching his Louisville film, you see flashes of downfield playmaking mixed with technical inconsistencies that will limit his immediate impact.
What Brooks lacks in pure separation speed, he balances with functional versatility. His special teams background at Alabama – particularly as a punt blocker – provides immediate roster value while his receiving skills develop. The shoulder injury history merits thorough medical evaluation, but his bounce-back production at Louisville suggests durability. His developmental timeline remains a question, as a fourth-year college player still working through fundamentals that should be more refined at this stage.
Reading this profile makes me think that the Commanders could find a way to use Brooks on special teams and use Kliff Kingsbury’s ability to scheme receivers open to provide opportunities for the young man as a receiver.
Craig Hoffman & Logan Paulsen: Commanders May Have Found An Undrafted Gem In Ja’Corey Brooks
Consider these thoughts from the Draft Network written prior to his senior season in 2024:
Brooks is wiry, fluid, fast, explosive, and a former five-star recruit out of high school. Fun player to watch in space, but he does shy away from contact at times over the middle of the field. Good hands, not great. Brooks has the athleticism to make the highlight play, showcasing his potential on the outside. His creativity after the catch is lacking and he is not a player who will look to lower his shoulder to gain extra yards. However, he’s the type of player that has packages carved out for him in a playbook each week.
Brooks also projects as an immediate core special teamer due to his quickness and ability to make one cut and take it for six. He also has a blocked punt on his resume during his time at Alabama. New kickoff rules will boost players like Brooks’ stock upward.
Ja’Corey Brooks Highlights – Welcome to the Washington Commanders
The Commanders opened the 2024 season with 7 receivers and finished the season with 6 wide receivers on the roster.
That seems to be the ‘sweet spot’ for the 53-man roster.
Roster locks appear to be:
- Terry McLaurn
- Deebo Samuel
- Luke McCaffrey
- Noah Brown
- Jaylin Lane (4th round draft pick)
That would leave seven receivers fighting for one or two roster spots:
- Michael Gallup
- Ja’Corey Brooks
- KJ Osborn
- Kazmeir Allen
- Chris Moore
- Jacoby Jones
- Mike Strachan
Of course, we know that special teams ability is a key to making the roster as the 5th to 7th WR on the depth chart.