Will Pauling, WR, Wisconsin
Size:
Height: 5’10” | Weight: 190 lbs
Accomplishments:
Three-star recruit
“Will Pauling is a shifty slot receiver with three-level playmaking ability. He thrives making chain-moving plays on third downs.”
Strengths:
Shifty after the catch
Void finder vs. zone
Route quickness
Punt return experience
First-down merchant
Concerns:
Re-routed by contact
Reeling in difficult catches/drops
Playside run blocking
Slot-only WR with limited positional flexibility
Film Analysis:
Will Pauling controlled the slot receiver and chain-mover role for Luke Fickell’s offense last season. Pauling brings quick route-running and separation skills to the offense. He thrives as a first-down maker and third-down converter. In this spread/air raid offense, he brings reliable playmaking ability. Pauling spent the beginning of his collegiate career at Cincinnati before transferring to Wisconsin. In 2023, he caught 74 passes and ranked fifth on their all-time in-season list.
Pauling excels against zone coverages. He finds the void in the defense quickly and settles in. He runs routes with quickness. With a free release, Pauling can manipulate defenders with quick, shifty movements and direction changes. His routes are run with good tempo and pacing. He can alter the speed of his routes and breaks effectively. Pauling displays good speed to win vertically out of the slot on routes like posts and seams.
After the catch, Pauling displays elusiveness and quickness to make defenders miss in space when passes are on time. He has returner experience and it shows up in those RAC moments. He does well in detaching from coverage on scramble drills and flowing to open space for his quarterback to get the ball out of his hands.
Pauling is a slot-only receiver who offers limited positional flexibility. He struggles with physical and handsy defenders. Pauling can be re-routed by contact at the line of scrimmage and during his route stem. Press coverage DBs will give him some trouble to quickly get into his routes. I would like to see his releases improve and his hands used more to dislodge/counter the DB physical punches in the contact window. His play strength is marginal at best. He is not an effective play-side run blocker. Pauling doesn't effectively seal defenders on the perimeter.
Drops are another concern when passes are not the most accurate. He struggles to reel in tough/difficult passes and suffers from concentration drops. He tends to alligator/short-arm passes when working in the middle of the field in traffic. Must improve this aspect of his game to earn and maintain the trust of NFL quarterbacks and coaches.
Pauling projects as a backup/depth slot receiver with starting potential. He can fill a returner role on special teams. If he can clean up the concentration drops, Pauling could be an effective slot receiver. There is a path for Pauling to be a consistent contributor to help an NFL team win games. His offensive and special teams versatility will help him see the field and make contributing plays worthy of a roster spot.
Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Developmental Traits
Written By: Damian Parson
Exposures: Ohio State (2023), Iowa (2023), LSU (2023), Illinois (2023)
