Clemson WR Bryant Wesco Could Make Stunning NFL Draft Decision

Heading into the 2026 college football campaign, just about everyone had Clemson Tigers wide receivers Bryant Wesco and T.J. Moore tabbed as top NFL Draft prospects.

People were split on who the more tantalizing talent was (I've always favored Moore, personally), but there were some who preferred Wesco and felt he could be a first-round pick next April.

That isn't the case anymore.

Wesco has been a significant disappointment this season, having caught 44 passes for 511 yards without reaching the end zone through nine games.

The junior receiver is averaging just 11.6 yards per catch after logging 17.3 in each of his first two seasons, and while he does have a pair of 100-yard performances on his resume this year (including last Saturday at Syracuse), he has been incredibly underwhelming for most of the campaign.

Once viewed as a Day 1 talent, NFL Mock Draft Database now has Wesco's consensus rank at No. 85, which puts him at the back end of the third round.

That's still a Day 2 selection, but it's a far cry from what most anticipated from Wesco heading into the season.

Which brings me to my question: could Wesco actually decide to return to school to bolster his draft stock?

I definitely feel Moore should consider this option, because he has been even less productive than Wesco this season and is now being viewed as a Day 3 pick.

But Wesco might have to follow that path, as well.

The problem is, I'm not so sure Clemson will be the answer for him. Especially not if the Tigers stubbornly roll with Tait Reynolds as their 2027 starter.

Now, if Reynolds has a very strong close to 2026, sure. But he has labored most of the year, so I don't seem suddenly morphing into a clear-cut starter over the next few weeks.

Wesco might have to transfer out of the program in order to truly improve his NFL standing. And that's assuming he is, in fact, considering coming back to school.

His situation is not quite as dire as Moore's, but it's still surely not what he was hoping for, and he has to be frustrated.

Should Wesco bolt Clemson and land with a school that will more properly be able to utilize him, he could ultimately catapult himself back into the first round again.

Right now, though, I'm not sure anyone is perceiving Wesco to be a Day 1 selection any longer.