Rice WR Luke McCaffrey comes from an impressive football family. But will he be able to live up to the expectations that come with being the son of Ed and brother of Christian?
Let’s explore McCaffrey’s path to the NFL.
Where Did McCaffrey’s Football Career Start?
It’s fair to say McCaffrey’s football career began before he was born.
Growing up as the son of legendary Denver Broncos WR Ed McCaffrey and brother of the best running back in the NFL going on about five years now, Christian McCaffrey, it’s safe to say football is in his blood.
McCaffrey went to Valor Christian High School in Colorado. He had the privilege of having his dad as the team’s head coach.
Luke began his high school career as a wide receiver, catching passes from his brother, Dylan. As a junior, Luke began sharing time at the quarterback position. By his senior year, he was the clear starter, leading Valor Christian to an undefeated season and a Class 5A state championship.
A three-star recruit, Luke fielded 11 offers from Division I programs. He ultimately chose to enroll at Nebraska.
Revisiting McCaffrey’s College Career
Nebraska
McCaffrey’s run at Nebraska didn’t quite go that well.
As a true freshman, McCaffrey barely played. The school limited him to four games, preserving his redshirt status.
In his sophomore year (redshirt freshman), McCaffrey lost the starting quarterback battle to current Birmingham Stallions QB Adrian Martinez. He made his first start in Week 3 against Penn State but was benched just two weeks later.
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After two years at Nebraska, McCaffrey had just three touchdown passes against six interceptions. Things clearly weren’t working out, so he decided to transfer.
Initially, McCaffrey transferred to Louisville. However, he left before the 2021 season even started, choosing to continue his college career at Rice.
Rice
It was an interesting decision to transfer to Rice. On the one hand, McCaffrey would undoubtedly see more opportunities. On the other hand, it was a significant step down in competition.
McCaffrey competed with Wiley Green to be the team’s starting QB his junior year (redshirt sophomore). It certainly wasn’t great that McCaffrey couldn’t quite win that job. He made just three starts in 2021.
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With quarterback clearly not working out, McCaffrey switched to wide receiver ahead of the 2022 season. He picked things up rather quickly, which is a testament to his athletic ability. McCaffrey finished as Rice’s leading receiver, catching 58 passes for 723 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games. He also carried the ball 12 times for 148 yards and a score.
Having limited experience, McCaffrey chose to return to school for a fifth year. In 2023, his redshirt senior season, McCaffrey continued to improve. He hauled in 71 balls for 992 yards and 13 touchdowns. McCaffrey did have another year of eligibility remaining, had he chosen to exercise the extra season granted due to the COVID-19 year. Instead, McCaffrey declared for the 2024 NFL Draft.
McCaffrey’s Potential in the NFL
His father was a third-round pick. His brother was a first-round pick. Unfortunately, Luke McCaffrey isn’t quite as talented as his family members, as Pro Football Network draft analyst Derek Tate explains.
“McCaffrey has the physical profile and raw movement abilities to be a consistent separator out of the slot in the NFL. His foot quickness, plus-level acceleration, and ball skills paired with a nice size and speed profile give offensive coordinators plenty to work with when McCaffrey arrives for his rookie season,” Cummings notes.
“Yet, the lack of refinement — which likely stems from him still learning all the nuances after transitioning from the quarterback position — shows up in his tape more than you would like to see. McCaffrey is an intriguing Day 3 prospect who could sneak into the back of Day 2 if a team strongly believes in his ceiling as a receiver prospect.”
“This is a rare instance where a player going on Day 3 isn’t quite the indictment it normally would be. McCaffrey is still new to the wide receiver position. While going on Day 3 is never what players want, McCaffrey should have a chance to progress as part of an NFL roster. In a year or two, perhaps he can emerge into a viable WR3 at the NFL level.”
MORE: Derek Tate’s Full Scouting Report of Luke McCaffrey
Highlights, Records, and More
McCaffrey’s biggest individual accolade came in the form of being named first-team All-AAC in 2023. Other than that, he didn’t play enough as a quarterback and wasn’t productive enough as a wide receiver to earn any other honors.
On the field, though, McCaffrey had plenty to be proud of. In his final year at Rice, McCaffrey caught a touchdown in 11 of 13 games, including each of his final eight games. Against South Florida, he came up one yard shy of a 200-yard receiving game.
The upside is clearly there with McCaffrey. On the right team with the right coaches, it will be exciting to see how he develops at the next level.
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