2024 Dynasty Rookie Profile: Troy Franklin, WR

In 2021, Troy Franklin, a standout from Menlo-Atherton High School in California, caught the attention of high school scouts at ESPN and 247 Sports as a highly-rated 4-star recruit. He wasted no time showcasing his talent at the University of Oregon, where he quickly made an impact on the gridiron.

During his Freshman year, Franklin appeared in all 14 games for the Ducks. In this season, he demonstrated his potential with 18 receptions for 209 yards and two touchdowns.

In his breakout Sophomore season of 2022, Franklin made a name for himself. He was an active player in twelve games and became a key player in Oregon’s passing game. Additionally, he recorded 56 receptions for 867 yards and eight touchdowns. All but solidifying his reputation as a dynamic receiver with an impressive quarterback rating when targeted (140.6).

By his Junior year in 2023, Franklin had established himself as a dominant force in college football. He showcased his ability to make big plays with 81 catches for 1383 yards and fourteen touchdowns. This high-level performance is what brought him to where he is today. He is an early declare and likely first round pick for our upcoming dynasty football rookie drafts.

Troy Franklin (WR) Oregon – Dynasty Rookie Profile

Height: 6’3

Weight: 187 lbs

Player Comp: Will Fuller V

Strengths

Speed

Franklin, rumored to clock a 4.35 40, would emerge into the league as a top-tier deep threat the moment he’s drafted. He ignites the field with his ball-carrying speed, capable of turning any play into a touchdown. Although not the most elusive post-catch, he leverages speed and agility to evade tackles. His primary tool after the catch is exploiting poorly judged pursuit angles. While he occasionally displays physicality, it’s not a frequent sight.

Nuanced Route Running

Furthermore, his unique edge lies in blending speed with precise route-running, keeping defenders off balance. He dominates in speed-reliant routes like go routes and drags. Though he can waste steps slowing up for aggressive breaks, he excels in curls and comebacks, leveraging his speed effectively by driving defenders downfield in fear of losing a footrace.

Weaknesses

Size & Play Strength

Franklin occasionally struggles to consistently secure catches in the air, displaying occasional prowess attributed to his soft hands and wingspan. However, this skill set may not translate very well to the NFL, where more disciplined defenders can track the ball through to the catch point, jarring it lose. This is an issue that showed up against PAC-12 college kids, I expect it to follow into competition against multi-year professionals.

Moreover, Franklin’s lanky build might cause him to disappear entirely against physical and handsy cornerbacks in the pros. Bulking up could be an option to help counter them, although his raw acceleration may take a hit.

NFL Fit and Draft Capital

Troy Franklin can excel as a team’s primary receiving threat. Despite this ability, I believe he’ll reach his peak potential by serving as a Z-receiver alongside an X-receiver in a vertical passing offense. Ultimately, his speed to stretch the field and evade defenders positions him as an explosive asset, even in a secondary role.

Currently, according to the NFL Mock Draft database, Franklin is projected to go in the early second round. Consequently, this range puts him squarely in the crosshairs of several teams in need of speed and receiving talent.

These teams include Carolina, New England, Arizona, and Tennessee. Of these three, I believe Tennessee will be the best environment for him to thrive. If he produces early, it will be in part due to the presence of DeAndre Hopkins. A situation potentially quite similar to how Will Fuller began his career many years prior.

Dynasty Outlook

As a fantasy asset, Troy Franklin will be better suited for best ball or a dart throw in the flex spot in the early stages of his career. This will be due to high highs and low lows in the same vein as Christian Watson‘s rookie year. Although, Franklin is not Christian Watson, as a player or a person, and has plenty of room to grow.

While he is clearly a step below Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers, Franklin is still a very good prospect. He broke out as a Sophomore, continued to build upon that foundation as a Junior, and now has declared early for the 2024 NFL Draft. Subsequently, our Superflex rookie mock drafts have placed him right where he belongs. That is, firmly in the tier behind Rome Odunze and Brock Bowers.

Our site recently mocked Franklin to Arizona not in the early second at 35th, but rather in the late first at 27th overall. This draft capital will leave me no choice but to follow suit with the community and begin targeting him once the top-tier players are off the board.