With the 206th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals decided to add to an already deep wide receiver room with Princeton’s Andrei Iosivas. While he obviously won’t usurp Ja’Marr Chase any time soon, the 6′-3″, 205-pound receiver should be able to battle for one of the final spots on the roster.
Andrei Iosivas NFL Draft Overview
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 205 pounds
College: Princeton
2023 NFL Draft: Andrei Iosivas Scouting Profile
Here is another draft prospect going into the 2023 NFL Draft a bit under the radar. There is another receiver in the NFL who came from a small FCS school resembling Iosivas. But he was already on the radar. Iosivas hopes to be a star one day. It’s simply a matter of when not if.
If COVID didn’t occur in 2020, Iosivas would have been a quality Day 2 pick. Now, one lucky team is going to get a steal on Day Three. In 2020, Iosivas was supposed to enter his junior year, but the outbreak pushed him back a bit. Known to be a track and field star at Princeton, football became more of a tune-up in his freshman year.
Playing mostly junior varsity football as a freshman, the experience gave him reps to get a feel for the game. The second year he got involved, catching 18 catches for 263 yards. He doubled that in the next year while adding five touchdowns for added measure. Also, in his last year, Iosivas evolved into a reliable threat — catching 66 receptions for 943 yards along with seven touchdowns.
Iosivas participated at the NFL Combine, running an impressive 4.43 40-yard dash. He oozes NFL-caliber size and length. Oh and by the way, he’s a three-time Ivy League champion in the heptathlon.
Obviously, the scouts are going to point to the lack of big-time college football competition at Princeton. But make no mistake, Iosivas is a player who has only brushed the ceiling of future abilities. Coaches are going to love the way he breaks free off the line of scrimmage. Jump balls always seem to go his away using his frame and strong hands.
The one thing slowing his draft stock is the limited tape out there showcasing the skills he has. Be that as it may, this one stat is beyond mind-blowing. Having only seven career drops is almost inconceivable. It’s as if he has Gorilla Glue on his hands at all times. Reliable receivers with size and speed are hard to find.
Strengths
- World-class leaping ability to grab the ball at any point;
- Size and Strength to break off press coverage;
- Literally never drops the ball;
- Precise start and stop ability to shake the defense;
- Smooth motions while running routes.
Weaknesses
- Limited route tree running;
- Lack of big-name competition at the FCS level;
- Run blocking could use improvement;
- Lack of tape showing yards after catch;
- Raw prospect.
NFL Comparison: Christian Watson
Projected Round: 5th-7th
Teams With a Need at Position: Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots
Bottom Line on Andrei Iosivas
Andrei Iosivas is the kind of big-ceiling small-school prospect coming into the NFL Draft this year. Princeton isn’t known for putting out elite wide receivers or any NFL talent. That being said, catching a star receiver in the later rounds isn’t impossible. Marques Colston comes to mind for the New Orleans Saints. Antonio Brown came from the Central Michigan Chippewas in the sixth round. Regardless, scouts will have to dig deep to get reliable information. Finding game tape is sparse. This is a no-risk, high-reward pick for any team looking for a hidden gem.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
