Texas star Isaiah Bond continuing his quest to be WR1 in the 2025 NFL Draft against Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry
Heading into the 2024 college football season, most NFL Draft fans viewed either Luther Burden III (Missouri) or Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona) as the best bet to be the top wide receiver selected this April. Now several weeks into the season, those believers are surely staying firm with that opinion. One player who is quickly closing […]
Heading into the 2024 college football season, most NFL Draft fans viewed either Luther Burden III (Missouri) or Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona) as the best bet to be the top wide receiver selected this April. Now several weeks into the season, those believers are surely staying firm with that opinion. One player who is quickly closing the gap, and has a chance to eventually hear his name first is Texas pass catcher Isaiah Bond.
After beginning his career with the Alabama Crimson Tide, Bond opted for the transfer portal this offseason. He ended up with the Longhorns, helping to soften the blow for the team losing Xavier Worthy, AD Mitchell, and Jordan Whittington to the NFL. Bond flashed a ton at Alabama, but the question was just how complete of a receiver he could become for Texas.
So far, Bond is passing that test with flying colors.
For those who have followed Bond over the last couple of years, or as a recruit, you know that he is a dynamic athlete with a ton of speed. As you could expect, he excels when you get Bond into space. Texas utilizes him mostly in the passing game, but there are also some instances of using trickoration to get him touches, which he has capitalized on.
Don’t get it twisted, however, Bond is far from just a speed guy. His attention to detail this season as a route runner has been something special to watch. He is incredibly detailed in his approach, and doesn’t have a ton of tells as a route runner. That puts opposing defensive backs in some very difficult positions. Bond is patient, efficient and incredibly explosive out of his route breaks.
Bond also clearly understands pacing as a route runner. There are times to work through your stem with urgency, and other times to run routes with more patience. Whether it is winning 1-on-1 or waiting for things to clear, Bond has shown great growth in that area. Once he gets the football in his hands, you can once again see the athleticism and YAC ability to create big plays.
Not only can he win as an athlete or a nuanced route runner, but Bond has also shown the toughness to make a variety of plays at the catch point. He isn’t the biggest pass catcher at 5-11 and 180 pounds, but Bond plays above his weight class. Throughout the season so far, he has made several contested catches. That’s a rare trait for a speed demon.
Through five games, Bond leads the Longhorns with 20 receptions for 364 yards and three touchdowns, averaging an impressive 18.2 yards per catch. Those numbers would be a lot better if Bond didn’t have to share so many touches with players like Matthew Golden, Ryan Wingo, and Gunnar Helm. Regardless of the box score, Bond has been fantastic.
He is now set for his first Red River Rivalry this weekend against the Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners have a good defense under head coach Brent Venables, but the secondary does leave some to be desired. Bond has a chance to continue his push as WR1 this weekend, this time on another national stage.
