2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: WR Brenen Thompson, Mississippi State

Tyler Lawrence
19 hours ago
4 min read

Name: Brenen Thompson

Position: Wide Receiver

School: Mississippi State University

Height/Weight: 5’9”, 170 lbs

Class: Senior (2025 season)

Hometown: Spearman, TX

High School: Spearman High School

Recruiting Rank: 4-star recruit, #76 WR nationally, #47 in TX in 2022 class (247Sports Composite)

Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Draft Projections (as of January 2026):

• Pro Football Network (PFSN Big Board, crawled January 21, 2026) → Undrafted, WR not ranked (outside top 300)

• PFF (Big Board, published January 12, 2026) → 7th round, WR ( #200 overall)

• NFL Draft Buzz (profile, updated January 15, 2026) → 4th round, #14 WR (#118 overall)

• NFL.com (Senior Bowl prospects, published December 5, 2025) → Day 3 projection

• ESPN (Mel Kiper Big Board, updated January 16, 2026) → Just missed top 25 prospects (not ranked WR)

• Consensus (NFL Mock Draft Database, updated January 21, 2026) → #137 overall (WR19 average)

Career Background

A four-star recruit, Brenen Thompson dominated at Spearman High School, earning First-Team All-State honors as an all-purpose player and District Newcomer of the Year, while also excelling in track with gold in the 200-meter dash (21.27) and silver in the 100-meter (10.40). He signed with Texas, appearing in nine games as a true freshman in 2022 before transferring to Oklahoma, where he contributed sparingly in 2023 and 2024 due to injuries. Thompson moved to Mississippi State in 2025, exploding for a program-record 1,054 receiving yards and 6 TDs, including three 100-yard games. His speed made him a key deep threat in the Bulldogs’ air-raid offense. He declared for the 2026 NFL Draft in December 2025, aiming to prove his elite track speed translates to pro success.

Photo by Jason Homan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Career Stats

• 2022 (Freshman, Texas) → 1 rec/ – tar (–%), 32 yards (32.0 avg/rec), 0 TD

• 2023 (Sophomore, Oklahoma) → 7 rec/ – tar (–%), 241 yards (34.4 avg/rec), 2 TDs

• 2024 (Junior, Oklahoma) → 19 rec/ – tar (–%), 230 yards (12.1 avg/rec), 2 TDs

• 2025 (Senior, Mississippi State) → 57 rec/ 87 tar (65.5%), 1,054 yards (18.5 avg/rec), 6 TDs

• Career Totals (4 Seasons) → 84 rec/ – tar (–%), 1,557 yards (18.5 avg/rec), 10 TDs

Advanced Stats (2025, PFF):

• PFF OFF Grade → 78.6 (mid-tier among qualified FBS WRs)

• PFF RECV Grade → 79.8

• Snaps Wide 86.8%/SLOT 13.2%

• Yards After Catch → 243 (4.3 per reception/ 23% of total yardage)

• Missed Tackles Forced → 7 (0.12/rec)

• 4/12 contested catch (33.3%)

• Drops → 5 (8.1%)

• QB RTG → 120.6 (top-tier among qualified WRs)

Awards and Accolades

High School:

• First-Team All-State all-purpose player

• Four-star recruit

College:

• Second-Team All-SEC (2025)

• Biletnikoff Award Watch List (2025)

• Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Honorable Mention (Week 2 vs. Arizona State, 2025)

Character and Leadership

Thompson impresses with his quiet determination and speed, as Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby describes him as a “deep-ball specialist” who leads through explosive plays and consistent effort in practice. Teammates like quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. note his role in building offensive chemistry, crediting his track background for inspiring work ethic. No disciplinary problems or off-field incidents emerged; media portray him as focused and resilient. Academic details are sparse, with no major or GPA reported.

Injuries

Thompson played nine games as a freshman at Texas in 2022 without reported issues. In 2023 at Oklahoma, he missed most of the first half of the season due to an unspecified injury, limiting him to six games. In 2024, a lingering foot injury early in the season hampered his production, but he appeared in 11 games without missing time. During 2025 at Mississippi State, he suffered a hamstring injury in the November 23 game against Alabama, exiting early but returning the following week against Ole Miss without limitations. Later, he left the November 15 game against Missouri with an unspecified injury, missing the second half but recovering for the bowl game. The recurring soft-tissue problems raise flags for scouts on speed preservation. No surgeries documented, with full pre-draft testing expected.

Play Style

Thompson operates as a vertical speedster who torches coverage with track pace, often pulling safeties deep to open underneath lanes. His acceleration creates instant separation on go routes, paired with hands that snag throws in stride. Suits big-play offenses that dial up shots; comps include Tank Dell (explosive YAC) or John Ross (burner traits). Return duties amplify value, though build caps physicality.

Strengths

1. Elite Acceleration — Blasts off line; forces over-the-top help.

2. Deep Speed — Stretches fields vertically; averages high per catch.

3. Ball Adjustment — Tracks over shoulder; contorts for tough grabs.

4. Return Threat — Vision flips fields; averages explosive returns.

5. Route Stem Work — Sells fakes sharply; manipulates leverage downfield.

Weaknesses

1. Frame Limits — Undersized for jams; overpowered at stem.

2. Contested Reliability — Loses most 50/50s; drops in traffic.

3. Short-Area Quickness — Builds linearly; rounds quick cuts.

4. Blocking Impact — Tries but lacks mass; disengages easily.

5. Injury Pattern — Soft-tissue recurrences; test medical thresholds.

Final Evaluation

Brenen Thompson rates as a niche WR14-19 in 2026, injecting pure velocity and big-play spark that could electrify special teams and deep packages. PFN, PFF, and NFL Draft Buzz notes accentuate his per-catch efficiency and speed metrics as explosive tools, though added mass would diversify usage. Primed for vertical schemes like Dell or Ross, Thompson offers Day 4-5 intrigue—might spark Mississippi State’s draft narrative if health stabilizes. He figures as a gadget weapon evolving to rotational duties over seasons.