2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Zakhari Franklin, WR, Mississippi
Player Data
| Name, Jersey # | Zakhari Franklin, #5 (#4 at TXSN) |
| School (Code) | MSUN |
| DOB, Class Yr | 10/15/00, RS SR |
| Height, Weight | 6006e, 186e |
| 40 Yd Dash | 4.6e |
| Arms, Hands | 3300, 1038 |
| Position/Depth | WR/1st |
| Honors/Captainship | 1st team All-C-USA (’21 and ’22), HM (’20) |
| Season Viewed (yr) | 2022 |
| Games Watched | @ALBI, LATE, TXNO (C-USA Championship), ALTR (Bowl) |
| Scout Name / Date | Mike Bey, 8/29/23 |
Per Year Stats (Most Recent First)
| 2022 | @TXSN 14 GP, 14 GS, 94 Rec, 1136 Yds, 15 TD, 1 Pass Att |
| 2021 | @TXSN 13 GP, 13 GS, 81 Rec, 1027 Yds, 12 TD |
| 2020 | @TXSN 10 GP, 9 GS, 49 Rec, 694 Yds, 7 TD |
| 2019 | @TXSN 9 GP, 4 GS, 38 Rec, 491 Yds, 3 TD |
Player Summary:
5th Yr SR and 3-year full-time starter at WR where he aligned at both outside positions and in the slot in the balanced offense of TXSN. Transferred to MSUN prior to the 2023 season. He possesses solid height with subpar weight, poor speed, and a slender build. He is an ordinary athlete showing solid balance, average explosiveness, and COD with adequate acceleration, lateral quickness, and agility with adequate top-end play speed. He displays average explosiveness of the LOS and displays solid FBI as he reads the coverage and finds the soft spot in the zone. He shows solid hip fluidity as he breaks off his stem on in and out breaking routes and slants. He uses a double move (out and up, stop and go) to separate on vertical routes while tracking the ball well in the air. He displays good hands possessing above-average manual dexterity that enables him to possess a catch radius that allows him to catch the ball with his hands extended from his body. After the catch is made, he displays above-average contact balance as he breaks tackles from DB with subpar explosiveness before picking up extra yardage. He does a good job of adjusting his body to the ball on passes thrown off-target. He is solid overall in contested catch situations as he high points the ball or uses his body to shield off DB with adequate ball skills. He is an average run blocker as he shows the willingness to block and displays average play strength with solid UOH in his punch, placement, and timing before maintaining his block against CB with marginal physical toughness. He exhibits good competitive toughness both physically at the POA while run blocking and mentally as he rises to the occasion in the red zone. Adequate play speed prevents him from consistently gaining separation against CB with good AA in off-man. The lack of quality AA prevents him from outrunning DB with solid play speed after the catch. Below-average size enables CB with good length, UOH, and play strength to slow him down while in press-man.
Scheme Fit:
ZWR/Slot in a pass-heavy offense.
Power Statement:
Experienced, intelligent, tough player who compensates for his lack of elite athleticism and size with his hands, toughness, and reliability.