When the Bengals selected Georgia wideout Colbie Young in the fourth round of the NFL draft, many fans were left wondering whether he would be worth the risk.
Analysts, such as Lance Zierlein, projected Young as a seventh-rounder after he'd missed several games in 2025 with a fractured leg. His production over the last two years at Georgia was minimal, too (37 catches in 13 games).
However, as we get closer to the season, Young is looking more and more like a great pick. He goes into the season as the fourth-choice receiver, with a potential chance to overtake Andrei Iosivas and take up the number three spot, behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Tee Higgins sees himself in Colbie Young
As Bengals rookie receivers go, Higgins himself was impressive. In his first year in the NFL with a combination of Joe Burrow, Brandon Allen and Ryan Finley throwing to him, the Clemson product ended the 2020 season with 67 receptions for 908 yards and six TDs.
Young has impressed so far, so much so that Higgins has drawn comparisons to himself as a rookie. In a recent interview with Senior Bengals writer Geoff Hobson, Higgins highlighted just how impressed he's been with the 23-year-old:
"I see a lot of me in him. From my rookie year for sure. He's quiet. That's how I was. Quiet guy, but he speaks when he needs to. He's got raw talent...He's got all the tools...Good hands. He's a really good route runner. Just a few things that I see. What he can work on. I saw that in myself when I was his age."
Why we shouldn't overlook Colbie Young
Young came out of college as your typical raw prospect. He is 6'3", 218 pounds, and showed himself to be an X-receiver, who will take advantage of his size against smaller cornerbacks and safeties, something that Higgins does every time he plays.
He doesn't have elite speed, but is a good red-zone threat, and if he delivers on his snap chances early in the season, he could get more and more opportunities. Despite his seventh-round projection for Young, NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein does recognise his potential.
"On tape, he uses his size, muscle and catch radius to beat cornerbacks in tight quarters and above the rim. His speed and separation are average, so he’ll likely see a higher number of contested battles. His route-running needs work, but he’s a nightmare for cornerbacks to bring down after the catch."
If Young can show early on in the season that he can produce at the NFL level, his measurables and talent profile could put him in a battle with Iosivas for the WR3 spot. They are both a similar height and build, and neither specialises in being a deep threat.
After the failed Jermaine Burton experiment, if Young can just keep his early momentum going, he could be on course to being one of Burrow's most trusted weapons sooner than expected.
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