#6

Grady O'Neill

WR · Sam Houston · R-Jr. · #6

Returning to Sam Houston for 2026
R-Jr. · Prior Lake, Minn. → St. Thomas Academy / Wisconsin
via gobearkats.com ↗
This season's coverage starts August 26 — check back once kickoff hits.

Grady O'Neill

WR · Sam Houston · Jr · #6

Limited signal — not enough coverage for a story yet.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
No recruit profile
CFB
College
2 teams
2024–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Coaching Lineage · 2024–2025

2 coaches
2024
K.C. Keeler
Sam Houston
2025
Phil Longo
Sam Houston
era →

Coaching transition mid-career: K.C. Keeler → Phil Longo. Worth noting in scheme + development context.

2025 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2024Wisconsin5-7HC: Luke Fickell · Run-leaning
2025Sam Houston2-10HC: Phil Longo · Balanced

Career stats

SeasonTeam
2025Sam Houston3839210.31--
2024Wisconsin----------
Career3839210.31--
SeasonTeam
2025Sam Houston1-524----
2024Wisconsin----------
Career1-524----

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 12 · 2025

W 26–23

vs Delaware

5 rec · 57 yds

A wire-to-wire battle — won by 3 at home.

How he plays

Play style

Moves the chains on third down.

CFB Index positional classification

2026 Outlook

Sam Houston

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Wide receiver · Sam Houston

Returning around him

  • 90% of 2024 offensive production back (Strong continuity)
  • Transfer portal: +5 net (20 in / 15 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Sam Houston · Last season: 2-10 · Talent rank #123

DNA match

Player DNA

Possession Receiver

Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.

WR

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Peyton Higgins’s 2024 season.

Troy · 2024

#2

Jamaal Bell

Nevada · 2022

85%
#3

Sterling Galban

Massachusetts · 2024

83%
#4

Ahmarean Brown

South Carolina · 2023

82%
#5

Braylen Walker

Rice · 2024

82%

Matches Peyton on

Yards / reception
EPA / play (adj)
Reception volume

Through 1 college season, his career arc tracks closest to Brandon Smith’s path through Iowa.

Brandon Smith

100%match

Iowa · 2020

#2

Nate Stewart

Akron · 2020

100%
#3

Connor Wedington

Stanford · 2020

99%
#4

Noah Gray

Duke · 2020

NFL Rd 5
99%
#5

Landon Ruggieri

Bryant · 2023

99%

Matches Brandon on

Yards per reception

As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Zion Booker's sophomore season at Tulsa (2025).

Zion Booker

82%match

Tulsa · 2025

#2

Tommy Maher

Colorado State · 2025

81%
#3

Mikey Matthews

California · 2024

79%
#4

Keith Reynolds

Miami (OH) · 2025

78%
#5

Jaylin Lucas

Indiana · 2023

1st-team All-American
78%

Matches Zion on

Total EPA (college ability)
TD rate
Yards / reception

Differs from Zion on

Weight (lower)

Player DNA

Players who play like Grady O'Neill

#1

Jordan Bly

Old Dominion · 2022

98%

Heisman trajectory

Heisman Trajectory · 2025

Peak #1834

Final rank
#2912
Avg #2628.3
Finalist prob 0%

Peaked at #1834 this season.

Background

Wisconsin 2024 Season Appeared in three games for the Badgers vs Rutgers, Nebraska, Minnesota ... named to Academic All-Big Ten team … contributed primarily on special teams and as a rotational wideout with the Badgers 2023 Season Did not see any action ... named to Academic All-Big Ten team 2022...

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