2025 Dynasty Rookie Early Look: Elic Ayomanor, WR Stanford
Elic Ayomanor did not play his freshman year in 2022 but got on the field in 2023. He burst onto the scene with a huge game against Colorado in 2023. Stanford overcame a huge deficit to win in overtime. Ayomanor was a big reason with 294 yards and three touchdowns, including some big catches against Travis Hunter.
The 2025 NFL wide receiver class does not have the elite prospects that previous classes have had. There is a lot of depth in the class and plenty of different players looking to move up to the first or second round. Ayomanor has had a knack for the spectacular and will look to help his draft stock at the Senior Bowl.
Recruitment
Ayomanor had offers from many schools but only took official visits to Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Notre Dame, California, and Stanford. He decided to commit to the last school he visited, Stanford. Ayomanor transferred to Deerfield Academy for his previous two years in high school. He ran track and field while leading his team to a title.
Collegiate Career
In his first year at Stanford, Ayomanor led the team in receiving yards with 1,013 and receptions with 62. The next highest receiver was Tiger Bachmeier who only had 409 receiving yards. Quarterback play was inconsistent, and Stanford threw for under 3,000 yards.
There was uncertainty for Stanford going into 2024 and moving into the ACC conference. Ayomanor had one more reception this year but went down in total yards. Quarterback play was again an issue, as the Cardinals only threw for 2,200 yards.
Ayomanor finished his two years with six games of over 100 yards, and 12 total touchdowns. In 2023 he was named honorable mention in the PAC 12 and in 2024 he earned second-team All-ACC.
Strengths
- Good release off the line
- Unique athleticism for the position
- Strong hands on contested balls
- Big frame to shield defenders
- Tough to bring down on initial contact
Weaknesses
- Limited route tree. Mostly slants and go routes.
- Not overly explosive
- Lacks elite speed
- Limited after the catch
Draft Value
Courtesy of NFL Mock Draft Database.
Wide receiver is always a very popular position in mock drafts because teams are always looking for the next receiver so that they can save some money on contracts. This year there are no high-end receivers, but teams will reach for needs. Ayomanor is being projected as a second-round pick right now and honestly, that is a little high for me. I do think with his size and production he should be a day two player. The NFL has become more wary of the bigger contested catch players, and I wonder if Ayomanor will fall into the category of players that fell in recent history like Tylan Wallace.
Dynasty Outlook
Last year’s receiver rookie class looks to be special. Five players finished in the top 35 WRs in PPR fantasy scoring. There are a lot of talented young receivers so it will be interesting to see how many receivers in this class go in the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft. I think there could be less in the first round this year but a large amount in the second and third round.
There are things in Ayomanor’s game I really like, but I do not think he will ever be a number one receiver for a team. He does have a skillset that could have him be a big red zone target which could lead to enough touchdowns to make him a good fantasy player. Quarterback play was bad at Stanford, and I do wonder if the limited route tree is because of limitations of the offense. The Senior Bowl could be huge for Ayomanor to put some of these questions to rest. Stanford does not have the best track record for wide receivers in the NFL and I would not have Ayomanor in my top eight WRs right now.
- 2025 Dynasty Rookie Early Look: Elic Ayomanor, WR Stanford - January 22, 2025
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings: Cornerstone Report, Week 18 - January 10, 2025
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