Jake Golday
Minnesota VikingsOur College Grade
How good he was in college at what his position is supposed to do, out of 100. Scored against everyone else at his position, adjusted for the level he played at. This is not his NFL grade.
College Production
Cincinnati · Big 12
| Season | Tkl | TFL | Sacks | Hur | PD | Pos Rk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 57 | 6 | 1.0 | 0 | 2 | 160 |
| 2025 | 95 | 4 | 3.5 | 2 | 3 | 100 |
The seasons in our college data. It does not always reach back to a player's first year.
Scouting Report
Cincinnati · 2026 draft class
Jake Golday exploded onto the national draft radar with a blistering start to the 2025 season, leading all FBS players with 26 tackles through two games and drawing effusive praise from prominent draft analysts. CBS Sports' Mike Renner proclaimed Golday the "type of rangey, jumbo LB (6-4, 240) that everyone in the NFL is looking for," projecting him as a trending top-100 pick after watching his tape filled with "wow" reps. The Athletic's Dane Brugler echoed the sentiment, as Golday's combination of size, range, and sideline-to-sideline ability perfectly fits the modern NFL linebacker archetype. His 2024 campaign validated scouts' excitement, as he ranked fourth among Big 12 linebackers with an 80.7 PFF run-defense grade while anchoring Cincinnati's stout defensive front. The Bearcats boast elite run defenders at all three levels - Dontay Corleone's 91.6 PFF run-defense grade leads all FBS defensive tackles since 2022, Golday dominates the second level, and Antwan Peek Jr. excels at safety. Golday's physical tools stand out immediately: legitimate 6-4 height provides length advantages most linebackers can't match, while his 240-pound frame carries enough mass to shed blocks without sacrificing the lateral agility that makes him effective in space. His two-game explosion to start 2025 wasn't a fluke - it represented the culmination of steady development and technical refinement that has NFL teams salivating over his three-down potential.
Strengths
- Rare size-athleticism combination at 6-4
- 240 pounds provides prototypical modern NFL linebacker frame with length and mass
- Elite range allows him to flow sideline-to-sideline and make plays beyond his assigned gap
- covering ground most linebackers cannot reach
- Dominant run defender who ranked 4th among Big 12 LBs with 80.7 PFF run-defense grade
- consistently filling gaps and stacking blockers
- Shows impressive processing speed diagnosing plays quickly and triggering downhill with conviction before offensive linemen reach second level
- Length advantage allows him to keep offensive linemen at bay and shed blocks more effectively than shorter linebackers
- Tackles with authority delivering stopping power that moves ball carriers backward rather than allowing yards after contact
- Displays natural feel for finding football in traffic
Concerns
- Limited coverage experience and skill set raises questions about three-down viability in pass-heavy NFL offenses
- Struggles in man coverage against athletic tight ends and running backs who can exploit his hip stiffness in space
- Change-of-direction ability doesn't match his straight-line speed
- causing him to overrun plays when forced to redirect
- Needs to develop pass rush repertoire to provide value on third downs when not dropping into coverage
- Hand technique remains inconsistent when taking on blocks from offensive linemen
- occasionally getting engulfed by stronger blockers
- Sample size concerns with limited high-level production before 2025 season explosion create evaluation challenges
- Lacks ideal play strength for his size
- getting controlled by powerful offensive linemen who establish inside positioning
Honors
Trending toward top-100 pick per CBS Sports' Mike Renner and The Athletic's Dane Brugler; Led all FBS in tackles through 2 games in 2025; 4th among Big 12 LBs in run-defense grade (2024)