Lake McRee TE USC |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #87 ROLE: Inline Receiving TE | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/28/2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.79 seconds (47%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 23.8 DOB: 11/23/2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #87 | |
| ROLE: Inline Receiving TE | |
| Last Updated: 03/28/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| Forty time: 4.79 seconds (47%*) | |
| Age: 23.8 DOB: 11/23/2002 | |
| Overall Rating: | 78.6 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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76% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 104.7 | |
| Hands: |
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70% |
| Short Receiving: |
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72% |
| Intermediate Routes: |
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79% |
| Deep Threat: |
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75% |
| Blocking: |
|
59% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
UDFA
Overall Rank:
#277
Position rank:
#21 (TE)
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| College Games: 50 College Snaps: 2077 | ||
ESPN RATING: 80/100
College Combine Results
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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) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dallin Holker - Colorado State |
|
90% |
| Cameron Latu - Alabama |
|
84% |
| James Mitchell - Virginia Tech |
|
83% |
Draft Profile: Bio
A four-star recruit out of Lake Travis High School in Texas, McRee enrolled early at USC in the spring of 2021 and played in four late-season games as a true freshman. He caught seven passes for 91 yards that year, flashing enough to earn a start against UCLA. Over the next two seasons he settled into a steady role, appearing in 25 games with six starts and posting 36 receptions for 368 yards and three touchdowns between 2022 and 2023. A torn ACL during bowl preparation at the end of 2023 threatened to derail his trajectory.McRee returned for the 2024 season opener but took a low hit in a week-four loss at Michigan that cost him roughly a month. He finished that year with 24 catches for 238 yards across ten games, earning All-Big Ten Honorable Mention despite the setbacks. His five-year commitment to USC stood out in an era of constant roster churn.
Everything came together in 2025 under new tight ends coach Chad Savage. McRee set career highs with 30 receptions for 445 yards and four touchdowns, including a 62-yard score against Missouri State. His average depth of target jumped noticeably, and he looked like a different player working the seam and intermediate areas of the field.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Reliable hands throughout his career with a very low drop rate on catchable targets
- Wins at the intermediate level with sharp breaks and subtle route leverage
- Attacks the seam with confidence and can stack linebackers vertically
- Tough over the middle and will absorb contact to finish catches in traffic
- Good feel for zone coverage, sits in soft spots and gives the quarterback easy windows
- Pass protection numbers are outstanding, rarely charged with a pressure allowed
- Showed improved yards after catch in 2025, running with more purpose post-reception
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Undersized frame raises real questions about holding up against NFL defensive ends
- Run blocking lacks power and his hand placement drifts under contact
- Ball security is a concern; fumble issues showed up in both 2024 and 2025
- Can be late sitting down on underneath routes, giving defenders time to close
- Two ACL tears create durability risk that evaluators cannot ignore
- Wasted movement fitting up blocks leads to missed assignments in the run game
Scouting Report: Summary
McRee fits best in an offense that values tight end involvement in the passing game more than asking him to hold the point of attack as an in-line blocker. At 243 pounds, he is light for the position by NFL standards, and his run blocking has never been a strength on tape. Where he makes his money is as a receiver. He runs clean routes with good variance in tempo, finds soft spots in coverage, and catches the ball well in contested situations. His 2025 tape at USC showed real growth working intermediate and deep routes, and his passer rating when targeted reflected a reliable target who moved the chains consistently.The medical history is the biggest flag on the file. Two ACL tears, one in high school and one at the end of 2023, will require thorough evaluation from team doctors. He bounced back well enough from the second one to have a productive senior year, but that injury profile combined with his lighter frame means the margin for error is thinner than teams would like.
In the right system, McRee can contribute early as a secondary receiving option at tight end and a useful piece on third downs. He is not going to win many one-on-one matchups in the run game at the next level, but he can be schemed into favorable spots as a pass catcher. His five years at one school, low-maintenance personality, and willingness to block despite not being built for it all work in his favor. The ceiling is a capable TE2 who earns trust on passing downs. The floor is a camp body who cannot overcome the size and injury concerns.
Lake McRee percentiles vs other Tight Ends (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Lake McRee (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
258.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
24.0
*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.