Iowa State WR Jaylin Noel would give the Broncos a slot receiver who consistently finds himself open

Noel would give the Broncos a quarterback friendly slot receiver who knows how to get open.

One prospect who may interest the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft is Iowa State’s Jaylin Noel. He is a 5’10”, 194-pound receiver who profiles as one of the top slot receivers in the entire draft. The Athletic’s lead draft analyst, Dane Brugler, has Noel graded as his 42nd overall player in the 2025 NFL Draft and ranks him as his 5th-best receiver in the draft.

Noel played a total of four seasons at Iowa State and was a very productive wide receiver during his time there. During his four seasons at Iowa State, he played in 51 games, starting 33 of those games, and totaled 245 receptions for 2,855 yards and 18 touchdowns. This past season, he played in 14 games, including 11 starts, and totaled 80 receptions for 1,194 yards and 8 touchdowns.

Player Profile

Jaylin Noel | Wide Receiver | Iowa State

• Height: 5’10”
• Weight: 194 pounds
• Hands: 8 ³⁄₄ inches
• Arm Length: 29 ¹⁄₂ inches
• Wingspan: 73 ³⁄₄ inches
• Age: 22 years old
• 40-Yard Dash: 4.39 seconds
• 10-Yard Split: 1.52 seconds
• Vertical Jump: 41.5 inches
• Broad Jump: 11’2”
• Short Shuttle: 4.17 seconds
• 3-Cone Drill: 6.82 seconds
• Bench Press: 23 reps

Film Room

Scouting Report

Strengths

• Compact but muscular build
• Separates consistently and shows quickness off the snap
• Quick feet and natural explosiveness help him quickly separate from coverage
• A good and smooth route runner
• Has a lengthy route tree
• Attacks the ball in the air and has mostly reliable hands
• Profiles as an impact slot receiver in the NFL
• Adds value as a punt returner
• Durable player who rarely missed time due to injury
• Two-year team captain

Weaknesses

• Smaller receiver with short arms, small hands, and a small catch radius
• Not overly dynamic after the catch
• May struggle against more physical coverage
• Has some minor concentration drops
• Run blocking will not be a strength

Jaylin Noel’s RAS

What other analysts are saying about Iowa State wide receiver Jaylin Noel

The Athletic’s draft analyst Dane Brugler on WR Jaylin Noel

A three-year starter at Iowa State, Noel was the M receiver (69.6 percent of his snaps from the slot in 2024) in first-year offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser’s scheme (he was also used as a satellite player, motioning into the backfield). After catching passes from Brock Purdy as a true freshman, Noel’s production improved each season — he finished with 245 career catches (No. 2 in school history) and 2,851 receiving yards (No. 4).

A sturdy and speedy athlete, Noel is smooth in and out of his breaks and plays with “stickum” hands to consistently secure throws away from his body. Despite not being much of a tackle-breaker, he has a pull-away gear (with or without the ball) that makes him a playmaker (eight catches of 50 yards or more over the past two seasons, third-most in the FBS). Overall, Noel is a smaller target but very quarterback-friendly, because of the confidence he has in his hands and his athletic versatility, which makes him tough to cover. His scouting report and college tape give flashbacks to those of Christian Kirk when he was an NFL Draft prospect. Noel can have a similar pro career.

Final Thoughts

Jaylin Noel would give the Broncos a crafty slot receiver specializing in consistently getting open. He is quick off the snap, has a developed route tree, mostly reliable hands, and simply knows how to get open.

I really like his game, but I wonder if he fits the type of receiver that Sean Payton is looking for. As I have mentioned throughout these profiles, Payton typically prefers bigger slot receivers who can help out in the run game. Noel is undersized and likely a non-factor in the run game. So, I wonder if he fits the profile of the receiver that he is looking for.

Despite that, Noel would give the Broncos a weapon in the passing game who simply knows how to get open. Payton and Nix thrive with the quick passing game, and Noel would give them a guy who can and will get open quickly. His lack of consistent YAC potential is a concern, but overall, I like his game.

He is expected to be a day 2/second-round pick and could be an option for the Broncos at pick 51 if he’s available.