The drops are real, but KC Concepcion is a first-round pick

Born an hour northeast of Orchard Park, New York, and raised in the Charlotte suburbs, Kevin Concepcion II -- known as KC Concepcion -- was born into football. His father, Kevin Concepcion, was a former defensive back at the University of Buffalo and later played in indoor football leagues, and his brother, Arrion, is a receiver at James Madison University.

Not long after the family moved to North Carolina, Concepcion started playing football -- he was four years old. His path to playing time came easily because of his natural skills, including his speed and shiftiness. He contributed to back-to-back state championships at Chambers High School in Charlotte as a freshman and sophomore. 

Not surprisingly, North Carolina State offered the receiver after the second of those titles. With Chambers, Concepcion reached the championship game again as a junior and lost, but by the end of that season -- when he caught 36 passes for 458 yards and eight touchdowns (plus three more scores on punt returns) -- he had the offer he always wanted from North Carolina.

However, he chose NC State not only because his friend, quarterback Lex Thomas, was going there, but also because of the love that program showed him compared to UNC. The Wolfpack made the 247Sports three-star prospect a starter as a freshman in 2023.

247Sports recruiting profile

• High school: Chambers (Charlotte)
• Class: 2023 
• Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (No. 97 WR, No. 23 NC)

After the 2024 season, Concepcion cited his desire to develop further, play outside receiver and face tougher competition as reasons for transferring to Texas A&M.

KC Concepcion NFL Draft profile

KC Concepcion

TXAM • WR • #7

CBS Sports prospect ranking: No. 12 overall (No. 1 WR)

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• Age as of Week 1: 21 years old (22 in late September)
• Measurables: 5-foot-11⅝, 196 pounds, 9¼-inch hands, 30¼-inch arm length, 74⅞-inch wingspan
• Testing: Did not participate in on-field testing
• Comparable body type: John Metchie III

To check out all of CBSSports.com's most recent mock drafts, click here. 

NFL comparison

Zay Flowers

BAL • WR • #4

TAR118

REC86

REC YDs1211

REC TD5

FL3

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From measurables to playing style, Concepcion reminds me a lot of Zay Flowers. Both aren't big, both won't win with physicality, but both are capable of lining up anywhere, running any route and exploding when in the open field. Flowers has three 70-plus-reception seasons and a pair of 1,050-plus-yard campaigns under his belt through three years -- in the right environment Concepcion could match if not exceed that.

About

• 2025: Consensus All-American
• 2025: First-team All-SEC
• 2025: Paul Hornung Award winner (most versatile player in FBS)
• 2025: 919 receiving yards (36th in FBS), 9 receiving TD (tied for 17th); 7.2 yards after catch per reception, 16 end-zone targets
• 2025: 75% red-zone route participation; 10 catches out of 19 targets for 102 yards, 6 TD (three drops)
• 2023: ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year
• 2023: Second-team All-ACC

College stats

Strengths 

• Lined up everywhere but worked predominantly out wide (32.5% of snaps in the slot). Was also used frequently in motion to build speed before the snap.
• Ran a fluent route tree with heavy usage of hitches, digs, outs, go routes and crossers. Had no problem working across the field. Just 20 of his 359 routes last year were screens, yet he averaged 13.3 yards per catch on them -- more than on any other route.
• Released off the line with good burst but consistently mixed in an array of moves (stutter-steps, jab-steps, jump-cuts, jukes, etc.) at varied speeds to keep defensive backs guessing.
• Showcased excellent route-running ability with sudden movement, largely driven by lateral agility. Dipped his hips, hit the brakes and snapped back to the quarterback in about three steps. His change of direction and near-instant stop/start were very good, as were his cuts on digs and slants. Rarely tipped his routes, further frustrating defenders. Occasionally rounded routes, but overall changed direction with the best of them -- a trait coaches will gravitate toward.

• Showed excellent acceleration and very good speed, which will allow playcallers and designers to let their imagination run wild with him. Didn't always run routes at top speed, but when needed, separated from most defenders, including SEC cornerbacks. His speed showed up on everything from designed screens to deep balls.
• Tracked the ball well on downfield throws.
• Adjusted consistently to off-target throws with full extensions, reach-backs on balls behind him and leaping grabs on high passes, showing a better-than-expected vertical.
• Posted a 66.7% contested-catch win rate -- solid, though not among the best in the class.
• Showed reliable instincts with the ball in his hands, following blockers well on offense and punt returns and generally knowing where to go.
• Didn't shy from contact and regularly used his strength to fight through it for extra yards despite his size. Had five plays in 2025 with at least 11 yards after first contact and another nine (14 total) with at least five. That's better than Jordyn Tyson, Carnell Tate, Denzel Boston and even Kenyon Sadiq, though not quite at Makai Lemon's level. Also held onto the ball well through contact at or just after the catch point.
• Displayed strong awareness in multiple ways: ran decoy routes at full speed, used lateral agility even when not targeted, helped sell pass plays on runs and sometimes worked back to his quarterback when plays broke down.
• Produced strong numbers that could have been even better with more accurate quarterback play. Of his 101 targets last year, 24 (23.8%) were deemed uncatchable. There were also multiple instances where he had to wait on late throws, costing him time. Projects well in a timing-and-rhythm offense with an accurate, quick-trigger quarterback.

• Delivered as an outstanding, NFL-ready punt returner thanks to natural speed, vision and coordination fielding punts and transitioning into returns. His elusiveness shows up just as much there as it does as a receiver.
• Absorbed multiple big hits on offense and special teams. Dealt with a hamstring issue in-game against Florida last year and a foot injury in 2024, but still finished every game he played over three college seasons. The only game he missed was the 2024 Military Bowl after opting to transfer from North Carolina State. No notable injury history otherwise.
• Has a speech impediment he doesn't hide and actively works to use as a platform to inspire others with a stutter. It does not impact his processing ability -- he's known for a high football IQ.
• Carries himself as a mature, humble player. Also known as a fantastic cook who specializes in soul food.

Concerns

• Lacks ideal play strength for his listed weight. Weighs over 190 pounds but looks closer to 180 due to a lean build, which allows even average-sized cornerbacks to jostle him if they get hands on him.
• Struggles at times against press coverage and physical defensive backs. Shows competitiveness, but bigger defenders can disrupt him -- something that will carry over to the NFL. Unlikely to be featured on plays that require him to win through contact, and when those situations arise, he'll be at a disadvantage.
• Displays inconsistent hands. Makes plenty of catches away from his body but will also body-catch at times. Drops have been a recurring issue, with rates fluctuating from 4.8% (2023) to 9.1% (2024) to 6.9% (2025). That's notably higher than peers like Makai Lemon, Omar Cooper and Denzel Boston -- none of whom exceeded 3.3% in a season -- while Jordyn Tyson and Carnell Tate showed improvement. Acknowledged concentration issues at the NFL Scouting Combine and didn't drop a pass in drills, but coaches must account for the inconsistency.

• Shows a tendency to leave his feet unnecessarily. Will elevate on high throws to make plays, but also jumps for catchable balls, which can lead to lost opportunities or contribute to drops, especially through contact.
• Offers limited blocking ability at this stage. Gives effort and flashes some aggressiveness, but size limits his reliability in the run game, at least at first. Coaches may have to work around Concepcion's lack of blocking prowess -- or they could attempt to improve it.
• Carries concerning underlying metrics. His 6.8% career drop rate is the worst among top prospects and contributes to a 62.9% career catch rate, higher than only Jordyn Tyson (60.3%). His 20.8% explosive catch rate in 2025 also ranked near the bottom of the group, raising questions about true downfield impact.

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Bottom line

Concepcion is a well-coordinated athlete who didn't get by solely on speed in college. His very good lateral agility makes him both a difficult cover on his routes and an after-catch powder keg. He is also an NFL-ready punt and kick returner thanks to his speed, cuts and vision. 

His drop rate will get a lot of attention and must be addressed, and his lack of power and size could make him a liability. But Concepcion has good football intelligence as well as experience in two different offensive schemes, and he plays with a lot of heart. 

He should be a solid target earner who lands multiple 1,000-yard seasons but slots behind more polished, established receivers who have just as good quickness without concerns about drops. Concepcion should be picked between No. 25 and No. 35 overall.