#12Pos: WRHt: 6031Wt: 211Hand: 0900Arm: 3300Wing: 784840: 4.33Bench: N/A3-Cone: 7.13Shuttle: 4.28Vert: 40.5"Broad: 10'09"DOB: 5/2/_Eligible: 2022Glen Ellyn, ILGlenbard West High SchoolAlthough he lacks the desired play strength to stand out as a blocker and work through physical coverage, Alec Pierce is a true vertical threat with impre sive speed, size and hands.Cincinnati has become one of the top teams in college football year-in and year-out. Alec Pierce is one of the best prospect on the Bearcats offense. The big receiver is explosive, boasting lateral burst and straight-line speed. He stacks defensive backs and Darius Slayton Jersey forces them into a low-shoulder position on vertical patterns. In his releases, Pierce uses quickne s and jab steps to keep his frame clear of contact and lull defenders into false steps or hesitations. Against off coverage, Pierce closes distance before making cuts off his opponents toes. The Cincinnati standout maintains separation after gaining a step or winning leverage with his size and speed. He regularly dips his shoulder to avoid physicality up his stem and before his break. He can win with a push-off at the top of his route stem. At the catch point, Pierce plays to his size and is an incredibly reliable hands catcher when open or through contact. He tracks the ball seamle sly and uses his outstanding body control and catch radius to high point or adjust to errant pa ses. Pierce shields the ball from defenders with his large frame. He is fairly dangerous after the catch. The talented receiver has special teams experience in high school and college. As a blocker, Pierce gives sufficient effort. The Illinois native can be a situational vertical threat as a rookie thanks to his size, speed and hands; he may develop into a well-rounded starter.Although Cincinnatis top pa s-catcher projects well to the next level, certain areas of his game are unproven. Pierces underwhelming film against pre s coverage looms over his draft profile. He lacks variety in his release package, using a fairly reliable hesitation, jab step and explosion each time. As a route runner, Pierce does not play to his size. When he plays physical defenders, he hesitates before contact and leaves his routes underdeveloped. Defenders stifle him when they play his high shoulder. Pierces timing is regularly disrupted by contact; likewise, physicality to his chest allows defenders to Blake Martinez Jersey stay in phase or recover. His inability to reliably work through aggre sive coverage may force coaches to scheme him away from pre s. At the top of his stem, Pierce loses speed or balance through sharp cuts as he fails to consistently sink his hips and is not the most fluid athlete. He is slow to decelerate on curl routes. Whats more, the Cincinnati standout is generally late to employ his hands as a route runner. Additionally, the Illinois native is a disappointing blocker. He takes poor angles to contact and lacks differentiating play strength. Pierce allows defenders to walk him back; conversely, he lacks the power and grip strength to displace his opponents. Finally, the talented receiver mi sed time in 2020 with knee and arm injuries.One of the nations top senior wide receivers, Alec Pierce is a vertical threat with burst, speed, size and hands. Although he lacks the desired play strength to impact the game as a blocker and work through physical coverage, the Cincinnati standout plays to his size at the catch point and can find a role in the league early in his career thanks to his athleticism and reliable skillset. In the NFL, Pierce projects as an immediately rosterable player; he has WR2 potential.Born May 2nd in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Alec Pierce was a standout multi-sport athlete at Glenbard West High School. While he dedicated time to volleyball, basketball and track, Pierce was a two-way star for the football team. In 2016, he was named Illinois High School Football Coaches A sociation First-Team All-State Cla s 8A. He also received DuPage County New York Giants Jackets football All-Area team and All-West Suburban Silver honors. That year, he helped lead his team to the Glenbard West IHSFCA Cla s 8A state semifinals. New York Giants T Shirts The Chicago Sun-Times listed him as one of its top ten receivers entering the 2017 season. In his senior year, Pierce built upon an already impre sive career. He recorded 25 receptions for 372 yards and five touchdowns; he also posted three sacks and four interceptions and returned punts. His stellar season saw him named MVP of the West Suburban Silver Conference. Whats more, Pierce was an Illinois High School Football Coaches A sociation Cla s 8A selection. Further, he was named to the DuPage County All-Area Team, the Suburban Life All-Area team and the leagues first team. Glenbard West won the West Suburban Silver Conference Championship. After his final season, Pierce received a three-star rating from 247Sports Composite Rankings. The same service listed him as the 1164th-overall player nationally, the 174th-best receiver in his cla s and the 25th-ranked recruit from Illinois in his year. As a freshman at Cincinnati, Pierce played in 11 games. Primarily a special teamer, he recorded six tackles on the season. He practiced at linebacker before the Military Bowl against Virginia Tech. In 2019, Pierce broke out. He played in all 14 games and recorded 13 starts. He led the team with 652 receiving yards and 17.6 yards per catch; he was second on the team with 37 receptions and two touchdowns. A true big-play threat, Pierce made 10 plays of 20 yards or more, seven plays of 30 yards or more and two plays of 50 yards or more. He made three tackles on punt coverage. The Illinois native was named to the 2019 AAC All-Academic Team. Pierces playing time was limited by one knee injury and one arm injury in 2020. Through six games, he recorded 17 receptions, 315 yards and three touchdowns. His 18.5 yards per reception were first among the Bearcats; he made six catches of 20 yards or Adoree' Jackson Jersey more. After the 2020 season, the standout receiver was featured on Bruce Feldmans annual Freaks list. In 2021, Pierce helped lead Cincinnati to an undefeated regular-season record and the College Football Playoffs. His performance earned him All-AAC Second-Team honors. He also was Cincinnatis first CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team honoree since 1997. He recorded 867 yards (15th in Cincinnati single-season history) and eight touchdowns. He is now 15th all-time in career receiving yards for the Bearcats. Part of an athletic family, Pierces father was a football player at Northwestern; his mother was a volleyball player for the Wildcats. His brother, Justin, played basketball at William Mary and North Carolina. His other brother, Caden, is a high school basketball player and golfer.7.3 / 8.5Floor/Ceiling: Po sible Special Teamer and Situational Vertical Threat / Wide Receiver TwoScheme Fit: Vertic