Rashee Rice 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Background: 

• Chose SMU over Power Five offers from Virginia, Washington State, Texas Tech, and Northwestern
• Led SMU in receptions and touchdowns in 2021 

System: 

• Scheme tendencies: Spread
• 2022 projected role: No. 1 WR

Pros: SMU has been a consistent pipeline for NFL wide receivers and Rashee Rice is the next in line. Rice is physically impressive, offering a sturdy frame with good height and length. He’s also a dynamic athlete in terms of acceleration and long speed. Rice has terrific balance which shows up at the catch point and after the catch. I’m impressed with how frequently he catches the football and makes that first defender miss to gain meaningful yards after the catch. While drops were a notable issue in 2020, he eliminated that concern in 2021 and he shored up his consistency finishing plays. Rice showcases strong ball skills with the ability to locate and make adjustments to the football. He’s an aggressive blocker that brings the fight when competing to create lanes for his teammates. 

Cons: Rashee Rice feasted from the slot in SMU’s wide-open spread offense, taking full advantage of spacing and free releases. He was tasked with a limited route tree and there will be a lot more on his plate at the next level. He needs to prove that his consistency catching the football in 2021 is the norm with another strong campaign in 2022. While it’s impressive how well he works the middle of the field, his production down the field has only been modest to this point. His role is likely to expand in 2022, and how he meets that opportunity will define his draft stock, but there is a lot to like already about what he brings to the table.

Rashee Rice NFL Draft Scouting Report by Joe Marino