Getty
TCU wide receiver Eric McAlister.
On paper, TCU wide receiver Eric McAlister seems like a 1st round draft pick.
The uber-talented McAlister is 6-foot-3, 193 pounds and dominated against some of the nation’s best competition in 2025 on the way to racking up All-Big 12 and All-American honors with 72 receptions for 1,190 yards and 10 touchdowns in 13 games.
He also showed an unusual commitment to his team and the process of how a season unfolds when he chose to play in the Alamo Bowl against USC with the NFL draft in mind — especially after quarterback Josh Hoover entered the transfer portal before the bowl game.
Still, McAlister is projected as a sixth round pick in the upcoming 2026 NFL draft to the Baltimore Ravens, which might represent incredible value.
From The Athletic: “Another big-bodied receiver (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) to add to a receiving group that has been on the small side in recent years, McAlister has the ability to separate and is very adept at ball tracking. Splitting his career between Boise State and TCU, he averaged over 18 yards per reception as a collegian and totaled 24 touchdowns.”
So, why is McAlister projected to go so low? And why would the Ravens be taking such a risk if they drafted him?
McAlister’s Messy Legal Situation in Texas
McAlister getting drafted by the Ravens would require some extra communication with his probation officer in Texas — and any slip-up might see him brought back to Texas to do serious time in prison.
In March 2024, McAlister was arrested on a felony gun charge after allegedly threatening a man with a weapon at a Whataburger in Fort Worth. In September 2024, McAlister pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and was placed on 2 years probation.
That was sandwiched by another arrest for violating the terms of his bond when he tested positive for marijuana in August 2024.
From The Fort Worth Star-Telegram: “TCU wide receiver Eric McAlister was arrested on March 15 on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon … McAlister, 21, was also charged with a second count of terroristic threat causing fear of imminent serious bodily injury, which is a misdemeanor. According to his indictment, he was accused of threatening a man with a gun. McAlister pleaded guilty on Aug. 28 to the second count, while the assault count was waived, according to Tarrant County court records.”
High Level of Production at 2 Colleges
There’s a good chance McAlister might shoot his draft stock up a few rounds by how he performs at the NFL scouting combine on February 26 to March 1 in Indianapolis.
The analytics-based argument for McAlister stacks up pretty well. He had over 750 receiving yards in the previous 2 seasons before his breakout year in 2025, including 47 receptions for 873 yards and 5 touchdowns in 9 games at Boise State in 2023.
It’s a pretty simple equation as far as what it will take for McAlister to move up in the draft. If he runs anything below a 4.6-second 40-yard dash, expect him to leap up into the 4th or 5th rounds — anything above that and he’ll likely be locked into the late rounds.
McAlister is one of 2 skill position players projected to come to the Ravens in the late rounds alongside UTSA All-American running back Robert Henry Jr. in the 7th round. Henry, 5-foot-9 and 205 pounds, rushed for 1,045 yards ands scored 11 total touchdowns while averaging 6.9 yards per carry in 11 games in 2025.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
More Heavy on Ravens
Loading more stories