Jalil Farooq is a wide receiver and 2026 NFL Draft prospect who finished his collegiate career at the University of Maryland after previous stops at Oklahoma. A native of the Washington D.C. area, Farooq was a four-star recruit in the 2022 class who joined Oklahoma and made an immediate impact, recording 37 catches for 466 yards and five touchdowns as a true freshman in 2022 before following that with 45 receptions for 694 yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore in 2023. He transferred to Maryland ahead of the 2024 season but was limited to just three catches for 58 yards as injuries derailed his first year with the Terrapins. He returned healthy in 2025 and posted 58 receptions for 545 yards and four touchdowns across a full season, demonstrating he could contribute in the Big Ten after establishing his credentials against Big 12 competition. He finished his career with over 140 receptions and more than 1,700 receiving yards across his time at Oklahoma and Maryland.
Standing 6-foot-1 and around 204 pounds, Farooq is a well-built receiver with NFL-caliber size who is effective working the intermediate areas of the field and possesses the athleticism and body control to make contested catches in traffic. He is a smart route runner who knows how to create leverage against defensive backs and find openings against zone coverage, and his production across two Power Four programs demonstrates he can contribute at a high level of competition. The injuries in 2024 that limited him to three catches are the primary factor teams will examine, alongside questions about whether his production at Maryland in 2025 fully reflected his ceiling given the modest yardage totals. NFL teams project Farooq as a Day 3 or priority undrafted free agent candidate with a solid physical profile and production résumé who could earn a spot on an NFL roster as a depth receiver with special teams versatility.
