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Alec Pierce NFL Draft Profile
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Alec Pierce Scouting ReportAlec boasts a long and athletic frame. He is a supremely gifted athlete who is expected to open eyes in the 40-yard dash and other short-area explosion drills. Pierce earns his money primarily within the vertical third of the field, using his straight-line speed and length to pop the seal off the top of defenses. Alec possesses a tantalizing skill set that will be highly coveted at the next level. With plus deep speed and impressive ball tracking ability, Pierce puts a ton of stress on defenses working in the vertical third of the field. He is not, however, a one trick pony. His ability as a deep threat will be his main selling point but Alec has shown a ton of potential as a route runner. He is very fluid in and out of his breaks, showing a great understanding for how to attack leverage. He is a long limbed pass catcher who has a ton of room to add weight but currently boasts a really slight frame. This limited his ability to win both at the line of scrimmage and at the catch point. You are going to need to maximize his release points as it currently stands. His hands are mostly solid but he has some troubling concentration drops on film. With his fluidity, route running upside and ability as a deep receiver, there is a solid floor for him as a plus deep threat at the very least at the next level. |
Areas for ImprovementPierce is far from the finished product and he does come with some concerns. He isn’t the most physical player by any stretch of the imagination. Particularly in press coverage, he can be bullied at the line of scrimmage. He needs to learn how to use his hands better at the line, as well as showing more awareness pre-snap to mentally prepare how he can utilize his footwork to win. He struggled early in his career with dropped passes. He still needs to prove that he can be a consistently reliable pair of hands.
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Alec Pierce Career at CincinnatiAlec Pierce prior to Cincinnati was a two player for coach Chad Hetlet at Glenbard West. He was ranked a three start prospect and the No. 24 player in the state of Illinois by 247Sports.com. He helped lead Glenbard West to a West Suburban Silver Conference Championship. He was tabbed as an Illinois HS Football Coaches Association (IHSFCA) Clase 8A selection, a spot on the DuPage County All Area Team, Suburban Life All Area team, MVP of the West Suburban Silver in 2017 and first team all league selection. At Cincinnati, as a true freshman Alec played in 11 games. He spent most of the season as a special teams demon, recording six tackles briefly switched to linebacker during practice for the Military Bowl against Virginia Tech. Following year, Pierce played in all 14 games, making 13 starts at wide receiver. He is a big play wideout averaged a team high 17.6 yards per reception. He was second on the squad with 37 catches. His was the leader in receiving yards with 652. He also scored two touchdowns. He also recorded three tackles on punt coverage. In 2020, Alec was limited to six games on the season due to injury. He totaled 17 receptions for 315 yards and three touchdowns. He continued his big play prowess, leading the Bearcats with an impressive 18.5 yards per catch average. He had a reception in every game he played in. He finished the season with six catches of twenty yards or more.
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Alec Pierce NFL Draft Player ProfileLining up on the outside and in the slot, Pierce finds most of his success on vertical routes. He is tall which translates to a big catch radius, making late adjustments and hauling in off-target passes. Pierce wins in the air, displaying good ball tracking and strong hands to hang on to the ball through contact. His speed is very good, getting behind zone coverage and threatening man defenders. He attacks blindspots on vertical routes. Pierce is a sharp route runner, paying attention to detail and possessing sufficient hip sink to get into breaks at his size. Varying his speed manipulates defenders and he has good ankle flexion to make 45-degree cuts instantly, winning on corners and posts. Against zone, he manipulates space downfield. Finishes runs instead of going out of bounds.
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