Logan Loya, WR, Minnesota
Size:
Height: 5'11” | Weight: 186 lbs
Accomplishments:
Four-star recruit
"Logan Loya is a first-down merchant with excellent catch-to-attack quickness and deceleration prowess.”
Strengths:
Deceleration
Quickness
Underneath winner
Eyes
Concerns:
Slot-only usage
Drops
Top speed
YAC ability
Film Analysis:
After three seasons of seldom usage, Logan Loya is coming off his best season with UCLA. Loya more than doubled his previous career high in yards with 655, tripled his catches with 59, and caught five touchdowns for the Bruins in 2023. A trustworthy player, Loya was tasked with creating quick separation for the offense and later in the season, he became a go-to receiver on third and fourth downs to move the chains. His feel for the first-down marker is a trait UCLA will want to exploit in his fifth collegiate season.
Playing from the slot, Loya didn’t see many two-receiver sets or much press coverage, so his release package appears small—but his skills suggest that it can expand. He has a split-jab release to manipulate close defenders that he also uses near the top of his routes to create separation. He does a good job of selling routes vertically before quickly breaking to complete his path and there’s little wasted movement. He shows great control of his hips, which allows him to sink in and out of breaks efficiently and decelerate quickly at the top of his routes. Always knowing where the first down marker is, Loya turns to the quarterback and presents a target for the quarterback with great timing. When in space, he has a keen sense of his immediate surroundings and can alter his route path if need be or quickly make the first defender miss in close quarters. Loya adds special teams value as well with return experience, finishing third in the Pac-12 with 7.2 yards per return.
Without usage against press coverage, it’s hard to identify how Loya uses his hands to create separation against man coverage or how he manipulates release packages and stem movement. Loya can be too uncontrolled at the top of his routes, leading to a loss of balance and losing any separation that was made. His catch consistency needs to be improved; he had nine drops in 2023 and while ball location from the QB was an issue, many of them were on Loya. He doesn’t offer much down the field or after the catch aside from occasionally making the first man miss and he’s not breaking many tackles on his way into the end zone.
Overall, Loya is a reliable underneath slot receiver who will make a habit of moving the chains for an offense but is a limited athlete after the catch and down the field.
Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Role Specific Contributor
Written By: Daniel Harms