2025 Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Profile: Ja’Corey Brooks, WR Louisville

Ja'Corey Brooks | © Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

Peter Lawrence Posted On April 21, 2025

Getting the advantage in your fantasy football league is all about churning through prospects and finding that lottery ticket in the late rounds of your rookie drafts like Puka Nacua, Sam LaPorta, Isiah Pacheco, Bo Nix, or Romeo Doubs of the last few years. Turning eventual early-season drops into fantasy starters is what we dream of when playing in our favorite leagues. Having the insight to land that late-round gem can elevate your team into a championship squad.

Ja’Corey Brooks was once a high-profile high school recruit, and big things were expected of him when he stepped onto the field for the Alabama Crimson Tide. What can we expect from this highly touted recruit who went from college football royalty in Alabama to a transfer portal reclamation in Louisville? He never quite became the next Julio Jones, but can he rise above a derailed collegiate career to NFL success?

The Stats

Brooks attended the prospect factory IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida for his senior year, where he was part of their National Championship squad. Before that, he attended Booker T. Washington High School in Miami where he had 1,281 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns before he went to IMG as a junior. Brooks was one of the gems of Alabama’s 2021 recruiting class as a five-star recruit and the nation’s second-ranked WR. He started to shine as a sophomore, leading the Crimson Tide with eight receiving touchdowns, but a shoulder injury would derail his junior season after the LSU game in 2023.

Courtesy of Sports Reference.

He entered the transfer portal and went to Louisville as a senior where he had his best statistical season. He was named to the 2024 All-ACC team and was the first Louisville player to go over 1,000 receiving yards since 2022. Playing with Tyler Shough, he had five games of 100 receiving yards or more.

It might not have been the elite collegiate career that many in the devy community envisioned as Brooks came out as a prep-star. His willingness to contribute on special teams and final season give some hope that he can hang around in the pros long enough to become a difference-maker.

The Film

Measuring in at 6-2 and 184 pounds, he is lean for the NFL. He has the standard height but his lean build without top-end speed leaves much to be desired. Brooks did not compete in the combine drills, but during the Louisville Pro-Day, he did draw the attention of the Browns receiving coach.

Brooks does well in contested catches considering his size for one-on-one matchups downfield. He shines on boundary throws where he uses his frame and catch radius to become a force multiplier in the offense. He lacks the elite top-end speed to be a truly dangerous vertical threat but has strong ball-tracking skills as he adjusts his body to make challenging catches downfield. His special-teams versatility will be an advantage in making an NFL roster during his early pro career.

His speed is less than what is desired, and that shows on tape. It is also part of the story with his contested catches including less than refined route running. The top-end speed concerns were not negated when he elected not to run at the combine and a reported 4.65 seconds at the Louisville Pro Day did him no favors. He struggles against more physical corners and is easily moved off his route and timing with his quarterback becomes affected.

The Measurables

Courtesy of RAS.

Brooks’ RAS score is throwing up red flags left and right. It matches most of what you see when watching on Saturdays though. His inability to separate will be magnified and going up against more physical receivers will limit his ability to make those catches. Brooks is not a burner as a deep threat and is not a true traditional possession receiver.

The Value

In January, Brooks was getting some love around the top 100 for draft-eligible players. It has been a slow ride downward, though, as the draft process is coming to an end with the NFL draft happening this week. Right now a team will have to really see a need for him as a developmental type but his physical traits don’t do him many favors.

Courtesy of Mock Draft Database.

Right now Brooks is looking like either a seventh-round pick or possibly a priority UDFA. His special teams ability might help him get an invite and help him hang around on an NFL roster. A lack of physical traits makes it hard for me to see him jumping into the draft as a sixth or seventh-round pick when a GM wants to ensure they can work with him.

The Dynasty Outlook

First, the good news, if you want to draft Brooks you will probably have a chance at some point in your draft. The bad news is that there is probably a reason his ADP is only buoyed by one draft where he was picked 39 in our DLF rookie mock drafts. He went undrafted in every DLF mock draft but that one. Like an NFL team, you could probably target another late-round pick like Ewers or even Donovan Edwards with Brooks as a priority waiver add during the season.

Courtesy of DLF’s Superflex Rookie ADP.

Brooks is likely not Nacua or other late-round gems. I want the guy to succeed but he feels like a real outlier at this point. He has a good story of being a highly touted recruit to a reclamation project.

Ja’Corey Brooks is the most underrated WR in the entire 2025 NFL Draft. Here he is talking about his journey from elite five star recruit, to Alabama, then shining at Louisville. #NFLCombine @AtoZSportsNFL pic.twitter.com/E6BvQZc5Ek

— Travis May (@FF_TravisM) February 28, 2025

The positive is that Brooks can carve out a spot for himself on special teams and maybe continue to refine his game as he puts on some muscle. He needs to refine his craft while growing physically. Brooks might be a better NFL player than a fantasy player and could still carve out a decent career. Cheer him on during this process and through the pre-season. Put an alert on his name but don’t feel the need to spend rookie draft capital on Brooks at this point.

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Peter Lawrence

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

Pete served five years in the Marines and currently continues to serve his community. He graduated from Western Washington University with a bachelor's in History with a focus on Greek and Roman history. Pete won his first fantasy football title with Daunte Culpepper and Fred Taylor. Unfortunately his last championship was with CJ2K and, one year, he was defeated by the tandem of Trent Richardson and CJ Spiller.

Pete is a Western Washington University (Go Vikings! Undefeated at Football since 2009!) History grad with a doctorate in dynasty football, from a certificate he bought online. He prefers stats and analytics but realizes film grinding is an important part of the process. Dabbles in "Mild Takes" and believes in the process.

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