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Indiana's Elijah Sarratt (13) and Carter Smith (65) celebrate Sarratt's touchdown catch during the Indiana versus Ohio State Big Ten Championship football game at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025.
Elijah Sarratt WR Indiana |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #13 ROLE: Outside X-Receiver | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/03/2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.53 seconds (40%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #13 | |
| ROLE: Outside X-Receiver | |
| Last Updated: 03/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| Forty time: 4.53 seconds (40%*) | |
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
| Overall Rating: | 84.8 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
|
78% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 133.3 | |
| Hands: |
|
78% |
| Short Receiving: |
|
87% |
| Intermediate Routes: |
|
91% |
| Deep Threat: |
|
92% |
| Blocking: |
|
60% |
|
DRAFT PROJECTION:
3rd
Overall Rank:
#72
Position rank:
#12 (WR)
|
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| College Games: 51 College Snaps: 2714 | ||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Xavier Hutchinson - Iowa State |
|
95% |
| David Bell - Purdue |
|
85% |
| Tre Harris - Ole Miss |
|
82% |
Drafted: ROUND: 4 - Pick Number: 115 (BAL)
Draft Profile: Bio
Elijah Sarratt played his prep ball at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore under head coach Messay Hailemariam, earning all-state honors as a defensive back during his junior year at Colonial Forge before transferring. Standing 6'2" and weighing 209 pounds, Sarratt began his collegiate career at FCS Saint Francis (Pa.) in 2022, where he wasted no time making an impact. As a true freshman, he hauled in 42 catches for 700 yards and tied the program's single-season record with 13 receiving touchdowns, earning FCS Freshman All-America and first-team All-Northeast Conference recognition.The production only grew from there. Sarratt transferred to James Madison for the 2023 season and flourished in the Sun Belt, posting 82 receptions for 1,191 yards and eight touchdowns while earning first-team all-conference honors. His 1,191 yards ranked 11th nationally that year. When Curt Cignetti left JMU for Indiana, Sarratt followed, and the decision paid dividends for both parties. During his first season in Bloomington in 2024, he caught 53 passes for 957 yards and eight scores, including a record-setting 165-yard performance against Purdue in the Old Oaken Bucket rivalry game. The Hoosiers finished 11-2 and reached the College Football Playoff. Sarratt earned third-team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and media panels, with the Associated Press tabbing him second-team.
His 2025 senior campaign added another chapter to an already impressive resume. Despite missing two games due to injury, Sarratt caught 52 passes for 802 yards and 15 touchdowns across 13 appearances, tying for second in Indiana single-season history for receiving scores. He delivered in the biggest moments, catching game-winning touchdowns on the road against both Iowa and Oregon, then posting seven catches, 75 yards, and two scores against Oregon in the Peach Bowl semifinal. For his career across three programs and four seasons, Sarratt totaled 239 receptions for 3,649 yards and 44 touchdowns, leading all active FBS receivers in career touchdown catches. His brother Josh currently plays safety at James Madison.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Sarratt snatches the ball away from his body with natural confidence and rarely lets contested catches slip through his fingers in traffic.
- Body control belongs in the excellent category. The leaping grab he made against Michigan State in 2024, contorting mid-air while maintaining positioning on the defender, shows what he can do at the catch point.
- Intermediate route work is where he earns his paycheck. His ability to locate soft spots in zone coverage and settle at the precise depth needed to move the chains comes from serious film study.
- Owns remarkable feel for the sticks. Converting 43 of 53 catches into first downs or touchdowns during the 2024 campaign speaks to his understanding of spacing and leverage in critical situations.
- Sets up defensive backs with subtle salesmanship before his breaks. Watch how he uses head fakes and shoulder dips to create separation rather than relying on pure athleticism alone.
- Brings a physical mentality to perimeter blocking that you love to see from a receiver. He gets his hands on linebackers and safeties and sustains contact long enough to spring outside runs.
- Clutch gene runs through his DNA. Game-winning touchdown catches at Iowa and Oregon in back-to-back road tests during the 2025 season tell you everything about his competitive makeup.
- Production across three different programs at three different levels of competition shows adaptability. Learning new systems quickly and producing immediately is a skill that translates to the pro game.
- Red zone weapon with a nose for the end zone. His 44 career receiving touchdowns lead all active FBS receivers, and 15 scores in 2025 alone tied for second in Indiana single-season history.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- He is not going to consistently threaten NFL secondaries vertically or run past cornerbacks down the sideline on nine routes.
- Release package needs refinement against physical press corners. Longer defenders who can match his play strength at the line will disrupt his timing and route stems early in reps.
- After-catch production is pedestrian at best. Do not expect him to turn short completions into explosive gains through broken tackles or open-field elusiveness.
- Run blocking technique requires attention despite his willingness. Hand placement and sustain against NFL edge defenders will be a work in progress during his first couple of seasons.
- Route tree could use expansion beyond his comfort zones. Leans heavily on slants, curls, comebacks, and go routes without much nuance on in-breaking patterns that require more athleticism.
Scouting Report: Summary
When you watch Sarratt work, you see a receiver who understands exactly what he is and maximizes every tool in his arsenal. He is never going to be the guy who takes a slant 70 yards to the house or runs past coverage down the boundary. What he will do is catch everything thrown his way, find the soft spot in zone coverage on third-and-7, and come down with contested balls in the red zone when the quarterback needs a bailout option. That last part matters more than people realize. Forty-four career receiving touchdowns leading all active FBS receivers tells you he knows how to finish drives. His 15 scores in 2025 alone, despite missing two games, shows a player who becomes even more dangerous inside the 20.The scheme fit matters here. Sarratt belongs in an offense that emphasizes timing and precision, one that features back-shoulder throws, dig routes, and concepts designed to attack the middle of the field. His value spikes in the red zone where his body control, strong hands, and ability to box out defenders at the catch point make him a go-to target when real estate shrinks. He can work as a traditional X receiver in systems that value contested-catch ability over speed separation, though some teams may view him as a big slot option depending on how he tests this spring. The lack of explosiveness will limit his role in offenses built around vertical shots and after-catch production, but coordinators who want a reliable chain-mover and touchdown scorer with size and toughness will find plenty to like.
Here is the deal: Sarratt profiles as a high-floor receiver with legitimate starter potential who should contribute from day one in the right system. His ceiling depends on usage and role rather than raw athletic upside, which makes landing spot critical. He carries some Jakobi Meyers in his game, winning through detail, toughness, and consistency rather than flash. That style translates to the NFL for receivers who understand their identity and play to their strengths. Sarratt has done exactly that at every stop of his career.
Elijah Sarratt percentiles vs other Wide Receivers (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Elijah Sarratt (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
71.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
14.0
*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.