Willie Rodriguez TE Kentucky |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #81 ROLE: Slot Receiving TE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 11/02/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.72 seconds (65%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #81 | |
| ROLE: Slot Receiving TE | |
| Last Updated: 11/02/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.72 seconds (65%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
80.7 / 100
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|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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83% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 101.7 | |
| Hands: |
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86% |
| Short Receiving: |
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78% |
| Intermediate Routes: |
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83% |
| Deep Threat: |
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63% |
| Blocking: |
|
72% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
7th
Overall Rank:
#224
Position rank:
#10 (TE)
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| College Games: 30 College Snaps: 1073 | ||
ESPN RATING: 76/100
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247 RATING: 87/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.7 (93%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dallen Bentley - Utah |
|
83% |
| Brenton Strange - Penn State |
|
78% |
| Ben Sinnott - Kansas State |
|
76% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Willie Rodriguez was a three-time state qualifier in wrestling at Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky. As a senior he caught 29 passes for 488 yards and 12 scores and helped the team reach the state final. A three-star recruit, he stayed home and chose Kentucky over Auburn, Ole Miss and Tennessee.He played in every game as a freshman in 2024 and became a starter in 2025, catching 23 passes for 310 yards and a touchdown. His six catches for 78 yards against Vanderbilt were the most by a Kentucky tight end in a game since 2015. In January 2026 he announced he would return to Kentucky.
Named preseason third-team All-SEC by the media, Rodriguez has become a bigger part of the passing game in 2026. In eight games he has 39 catches for 324 yards and three touchdowns, plus a rushing score. He caught eight passes against Alabama and two touchdowns in the 21-13 win at Oklahoma.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Reliable hands, with one drop on 48 targets and none at all in 2025
- Lines up inline, in the slot and out wide, giving the offense a true move tight end
- Steady in pass protection, with no pressures allowed on his blocking snaps this season
- Caught eight passes against Alabama and won both of his contested targets
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Rarely stretches the field, with almost all of his targets coming short of 20 yards
- Gains only about eight yards per catch, so he creates few explosive plays
- Run blocking is still developing and was a problem in the win at Oklahoma
- Average size for an inline tight end limits him as an extra blocker
- A true junior with eligibility left, so he may not enter the 2027 draft
Scouting Report: Summary
Rodriguez is a dependable, versatile tight end who has grown into a focal point of the Kentucky passing game. He catches what he gets, works from inline, the slot and out wide, and has been clean in pass protection. His eight-catch day against Alabama showed he can produce against an SEC defense.However, he has not shown much as a field stretcher, and his yards per catch sit around eight. His run blocking is still uneven, and his frame is only average for an inline role.
Overall, Rodriguez brings the steady, do-it-all traits coaches trust, and his production is trending up. He projects as a seventh-round tight end who can help as a second option while his blocking catches up, and as a junior he could also return in 2027.
How other scouting services rate Willie Rodriguez (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
187.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
11.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.