Charlie Becker still has a lot to prove at Indiana. The wide receiver was called into action last year after an injury and didn’t disappoint Curt Cignetti. As a result, his draft stock is on the rise, with some scouts already linking him to Ladd McConkey and Alec Pierce.

The report came from Rookie Watch (@RookieWatxh) on August 29. The account said Becker is drawing early attention heading into next season. One unnamed NFL scout reportedly believes Becker plays “like a hybrid” of Ladd McConkey and Alec Pierce. 

The post also gave no breakdown of why those two names were chosen. The “WR2” talk is stronger than most public boards. Pro Football Network had Becker as the No. 2 wide receiver and No. 3 overall prospect in late August, with a 90.58 draft grade. 

ESPN’s Matt Miller had him around WR5. Jordan Reid mocked him 10th overall to Washington and wrote that Becker was “the player I enjoyed studying the most this offseason.” Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic called him a “team-first, do-everything receiver who is big enough to be an X, quick enough to work the slot, and durable enough to block.” 

An unnamed Big Ten staffer offered another look and told ESPN, “I think he’s sneaky good and will go in the top 20 picks next year… He’s straight-up fast. He’s not just a receiver who’s big and can catch jump balls.” That quote fits the hybrid idea. 

Pierce is 6-foot-3 and 211 pounds. At Cincinnati and later with the Colts, he won as a boundary X on fades, posts, and go routes. Becker lined up outside on about 80.7 % of his snaps. He converted 13 of 17 contested chances in 2025.  

McConkey is 6-foot and 185 pounds. Scouts pointing to his as a comp are talking about Becker’s hurdling background, a reported 22.5 mph GPS top speed, and the sudden stop-and-catch plays. 

During the 2025 season, Becker appeared in 16 games, had 34 receptions, 679 yards, 20.0 yards per catch, and four touchdowns. McConkey’s final Georgia year was in 2023, and he played nine games with 478 yards, 15.9 yards per catch, and a rushing touchdown. The Chargers took him 34th overall in 2024.

Pierce’s last Cincinnati season in 2021 was 14 games, 52 catches, 884 yards, 17.0 yards per catch, and eight touchdowns. The Colts took him 53rd overall in 2022. Becker had less total production, but his per-catch number is what makes him stand out. 

The Tape that is drawing comparisons

Becker was a 2024 three-star, No. 130 wide receiver and outside the national top 950. However, the wide receiver didn’t see any action in his freshman year. Even last season, he was mostly a depth piece.

The breakout started on November 8, 2025, at Penn State. After Elijah Sarratt’s hamstring injury, Becker got a starter’s workload. He had seven catches for 118 yards in a 27-24 road win at Happy Vallue. Curt Cignetti later praised Becker for taking advantage of his opportunity.

“Then, we couldn’t take him off the field,” Cignetti said.

The next week against Wisconsin, he had five catches, 108 yards, and a touchdown. The Big Ten title game against Ohio State on December 6 was also special. Indiana won 13-10, and Becker had six catches for 126 yards. One was a 51-yard reception, only the third 50-plus-yard play Ohio State allowed all season. 

He also converted a late third-and-6 that kept the Buckeyes off the field until 18 seconds remained. Gus Johnson put him on his “Got It” team and called the hands “a gift from God.” 

The playoff tape kept the same momentum. Against Alabama in the Rose Bowl, Becker had two catches for 51 yards and a touchdown, including a 21-yard score in a 38-3 win. Against Oregon in the Peach Bowl, he had two catches for 48 yards and a 36-yard touchdown. 

Against Miami in the title game, he had four catches for 65 yards on seven targets. He caught a 19-yard pass on fourth-and-5 and another 19-yarder on third-and-7 that kept the winning drives alive.