Jeff Caldwell, J’Mari Taylor Draw Combine Interest as Scouts Cross-Check Production

Scouts used the combine window to cross-check FCS production with measurable testing, and few cases were as clear as Jeff Caldwell’s jump from Lindenwood to Cincinnati. Caldwell’s 2024 line of 53 receptions for 1,032 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns, a total that ranked his 11 TDs eighth nationally at the FCS level, pushed him into high-profile evaluation rooms as Cincinnati added him from the transfer portal.

The 6-foot-5 receiver from Louisville committed to Cincinnati after interest and offers from Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech, Memphis and others, and became the Bearcats’ third portal addition at receiver alongside Caleb Goodie and Cyrus Allen. Cincinnati’s local coverage notes the club views Caldwell as a direct fit to replace the big-body, outside role vacated by Xzavier Henderson. Quarterback Brendan Sorsby helped recruit Caldwell via social outreach; Caldwell said, "He slid into my DMs (X/Twitter direct messages), honestly. He's a guy who is real team-oriented as a leader. You need that connection with quarterback and receiver. We've established that and it's going to continue to grow. I expect big things."

Career totals and single-game explosions underpin why scouts are paying attention. University of Cincinnati materials list Caldwell with 93 career catches for 1,722 yards and 23 touchdowns across 28 games at Lindenwood, while 247Sports lists an alternate total of 92 catches and 22 touchdowns. His 2024 season included seven games with 99-plus receiving yards and five 100-yard games, with a 174-yard performance at Gardner-Webb, a four-touchdown game against Eastern Illinois and a 5-for-185, four-touchdown night versus Western Illinois. Sources also report Caldwell played 702 snaps in 2024.

Testing and analytical markers are what prompted the combine cross-checks. Multiple reports agree on a 6-5 frame but list weights as 198, 200 and 210 pounds in different profiles. Cincinnati local reporting preserves athletic notes that Caldwell has been timed "in the 4.4-second neighborhood in the 40-yard dash," clocked running over 22 miles per hour, and "horizontally has been measured at a freakish 11'9"." PFF season grades are reported as 74.2 in one outlet and 74.5 in another, underscoring minor discrepancies scouts will square with video and testing.

Scouting language captures the upside and the questions. CBS Sports called him "extremely raw, yet one of the more gifted physical talents in the class" and noted that "on just 32 catches still flashed some 'wow' reps that highlighted his high-end athleticism." Cincinnati and 247Sports frame Caldwell as a potential X receiver who can stretch the field and give the Bearcats a contrasting skill set alongside smaller, quicker targets.

J’Mari Taylor was flagged in the same combine window as an FCS-linked skill prospect after transferring from North Carolina Central to Virginia, but supplied materials contain no statistics, measurables or quotes for Taylor. With Caldwell’s production, measurable testing and transfer trajectory already in scouts’ notebooks, the next movement will hinge on official combine and pro day numbers and how Cincinnati deploys Caldwell in spring work to translate FCS production into pro-day polish and draftable tape.