A former tight end at LSU, Jack Bech transferred to TCU and converted to wide receiver in 2023. His tight end background gives him a unique playstyle that defenders struggle to deal with. He’s a dominant physical presence both in his routes and with the ball in his hands. Will his game translate to the next level, or is he really just an undersized tight end playing wide receiver?
Measurables
Height: 6’1’’, Weight: 214, Arm Length: 31.5’’, Hands: 9’’
Testing – Combine
Vertical: 34.5’’, Broad: 10’5’’, 3-Cone: 6.84, Shuttle: 4.21, Bench: 19 Reps
Scouting Overview
Likely due to his size and strength at the catch point, Jack Bech was primarily deployed as TCU’s X receiver in 2024. He has the necessary skills to be effective in this role at the college level, but will likely move to the inside in the NFL. He doesn’t have the speed required from a full time outside receiver in the NFL, but he wins in other ways that can be better leveraged from the slot.
Jack Bech’s whole game revolves around physicality. Against man coverage, he uses his strength to work through contact, then bullies defenders at the top of the route. He also has surprisingly quick feet, which he uses to gain leverage early in the route. He has a really nice release package that he operates with precision, however he too often tries to win with pure quickness off the line, and gets pinned to the sideline as a result. He also has a wide selection of hand counters that he can use to prevent savvier and more physical corners from slowing him down.
Unfortunately, Bech doesn’t have the speed to consistently stack defenders in the vertical game. He ran go routes at a high rate in college, but they almost alway turned into back shoulder throws. However, he is able to win deep from the slot on posts and deep crossing routes when he gets matched up against safeties and linebackers. He’s also quite deceptive when running double moves.
Bech might not be the most explosive player out of his breaks, he does snap his head around, which maximizes what explosiveness he has. He also excels at setting up his route stems. Bech will attack the defender’s front hip, use head fakes, and has a deceptive tempo to his game. If he doesn’t have route leverage, he can overpower defenders at the breakpoint without committing offensive pass interference. It remains to be seen how this playstyle will translate to the NFL. It’s hard to think of any current NFL players who consistently win this way against man coverage.
The work that Bech does against zone coverage on the other hand, will immediately translate. He has such a great feel for working through zones over the middle of the field, always knowing when to settle and when to show the quarterback his eyes. You would be hard-pressed to find any instances where Bech misreads coverage or makes the wrong decision.
As a pass catcher, Bech is as sure-handed as they come. He only dropped one pass in all of 2024, and caught 13 of his 20 contested opportunities. He only has very minor flaws that shouldn’t hold him back much. While he has a large catch radius, he specifically struggles catching passes that are behind him. These won’t be charted as drops, but are catchable throws that more dexterous receivers are able to bring in. He also has a tendency to lean back too much when going for jump balls.
Easily the most fun part of Jack Bech, is watching what he does to defenses after the catch. Defenders bounce off of him more than any receiver I’ve ever seen, and he almost never goes down on first contact. He also runs with an anger and toughness that is truly rare at the position. He wants to run through the face of every defender who gets in his way. He also understands pursuit angles very well. If there’s one critic in this area, it’s his decision making with where to turn immediately after making the catch. He’s smooth transitioning from receiver to runner, but he defaults to planting his inside foot and turning to the outside, regardless of where the defenders are.
One other issue that’s worth noting is that Bech is a surprisingly poor blocker considering how physical he is as a player. He has the willingness, but his radar and technique are poor.
Player Comparison
It’s impossible to find a true one-to-one comparison for Jack Bech, but Eric Decker is the closest. Decker was never a true WR1 but was an outstanding compliment to players like Demariyus Thomas and Brandon Marshall. He was bigger than Bech, but both have a similar level of physicality to their game. Like Bech, Decker never ran a 40-yard dash, and speed was certainly not a hallmark of his game. Bech is much more of an after the catch threat as well.
Final Grade: Early 2nd
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: WR Jack Bech Scouting Report