Summary

Troy Franklin was selected in Round 4 (#102 Overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft out of the University of Oregon. Franklin finished his Ducks career with 171 receptions, 2,483 receiving yards, and 25 touchdowns, highlighted by a breakout 2023 season (81 catches, 1,383 yards, 14 TDs) that earned him First-Team All-Pac-12 honors. Entering the NFL, Franklin was viewed as a high-upside developmental receiver with immediate value as a field stretcher and spacing element, and he has slowly worked his way into earning more and more reps as the starting Z Receiver opposite Courtland Sutton in Sean Payton’s offense. For a receiver, Franklin is low-maintenance personality who landed in an ideal situation pairing him with his college quarterback in Bo Nix.

Strengths

• Chunk Play Creator: Legit field-stretching speed that forces safety help. Builds speed quickly after release and through stems.

• Brake Fluid: Wins with quickness, burst, and efficient route pacing. Smooth mover with clean transitions in and out of breaks.

• Ball Tracking: Excellent tracking on deep throws and adjusts naturally over the shoulder. Understands leverage and spacing vs. zone.

• Sideline Skill: Strong boundary awareness and especially effective on fades and deep outs.

Weaknesses

• Lean Bean: Lean frame (4.44 Measurables score) can be disrupted by physical press corners. Can struggle getting clean releases when defenders get hands on him early.

• Contested-Catch Consistency: More of a separator than a power finisher at the catch point and struggles to strain through contact.

• Impact Blocking: Willing effort, but strength limits effectiveness. Needs added functional strength to withstand contact and stay durable.

• Route Tree Expansion: Must continue developing intermediate and timing-based routes for full role growth.

Outlook

Franklin fits Denver as a field-stretching Z receiver who can complement a more physical X target and open space for the offense through vertical stress. He is particularly valuable in play-action, shot concepts, deep crossers, posts, and spacing routes where his speed forces safeties to respect the top of the defense. In a Broncos offense that benefits from explosiveness and separation, Franklin projects as a WR3/WR4 early with clear upside into a larger role as he improves his release package and builds functional strength. Long-term, Franklin has the traits to become a starter-level vertical and intermediate threat—a receiver who may not be a pure contested-catch winner but can consistently generate separation and produce explosive plays. If he develops more strength through contact and expands his route tree into higher-volume chain-moving concepts, he can evolve into a high-end complementary starter and an important spacing element in a modern offense operated by college teammate Bo Nix.