With the 140th pick (4th round) in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select WR Colbie Young.
Below is my pre-draft scouting report on Young:
School: Georgia
Ht/Wt: 6’5”, 218 lbs
Strengths:
– Large frame, both in terms of height and build.
– Athleticism is quietly quite good for his size.
– Generates enough speed to uncover vertically.
– Decent enough lateral movement skills for in-breakers.
– Big frame makes him a pest to bring down after the catch, especially as he gets going.
– Has the reach to win above the rim.
– Strong build also makes it tough for defenders to jam or to get positioning further down the field.
– Good hands and ball skills.
– Has special teams experience.
Weaknesses:
– Off the field concerns.
– Injury concerns.
– Athleticism is good for his size, but high end athletes at CB should still be able to match up.
– Route running looks rounded and unrefined a lot of the time.
– Can power forward for yards after the catch, but won’t really make people miss in the open field.
– Route tree was pretty limited.
– Limited college production.
– Instances where he doesn’t play to his size. Needs to find consistency.
Summary:
Young is a prospect that stands out for his size and athleticism relative to that size. He won’t necessarily run by defenders on a consistent basis, but he is more than just a slug of an athlete that can win jump balls. He does get open, and is also decently quick for his size. You see flashes where he really is able to take advantage, either boxing out opponents or going above the rim for the ball. However, he will need to consistently play to these advantages. His route running lacks precision and he ran a limited route tree, so he is very much still a work in progress. But his special teams experience could help him make a roster. Young has some off the field and injury concerns that teams will be looking into. These may also impact his draft stock. On the football side of things, he is still a raw player with very limited production to go by, so the likelihood is that he slips pretty far in the draft. That being said, his traits are definitely enough to see him one day earn a starting spot, if he can put it all together.
| Grade: 63.3 | Round Grade: 6th |
Young graded out as a 6th rounder on my board. Taking him with the final pick of the 6th round, it’s not an astronomical reach. I actually like the player. He has a good combination of size and athleticism, pointing to upside that exceeds his draft position.
It is a swing for the Bengals, and Young, who still needs some development, gets to learn from guys like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He has the potential to eventually be a starter on the outside.
I am a little surprised about the stylistic selection. The Bengals took a big bodied outside receiver, but I thought they might end up with a smaller, shiftier receiver that can compete for time in the slot. In any event, Young comes with good upside and is a worthwhile selection.
