J. Michael Sturdivant Scouting Report
By: Michael Higgins
(Image courtesy of David Bowie/Gator County)
School: Florida
Class: Redshirt Senior
Position: WR
HT: 6’2
WT: 213 lbs
Background: J. Michael Sturdivant was a top 4-star wide receiver originally from Overland Park, Kansas, in the class of 2021. Sturdivant is the nephew of Hall of Famer Floyd Little. Sturdivant moved to Texas before high school and attended Marcus High School with LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier. Sturdivant holds the school record for receptions (188), receiving yards (2,303), and touchdowns (23). As a senior, he won the district title as a team captain. Sturdivant was selected to participate in the Under Armour All-American Game. Sturdivant was also a highly regarded track athlete at Marcus. Out of high school, Sturdivant committed to play for Cal over LSU, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, and others.
College: Sturdivant was a reserve for Cal in his true freshman season, but became a starter for his redshirt freshman season in 2022. For Cal in 2022, Sturdivant recorded 65 receptions for 755 yards and 7 touchdowns. After one year as a starter for Cal, Sturdivant transferred to UCLA. At UCLA, his production took a bit of a dip. He had 36 receptions for 597 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2023. In 2024, Sturdivant had 22 receptions for 315 yards and 2 touchdowns. Sturdivant, once again, entered the transfer portal. This time, he chose to play for Florida.
Strengths: J. Michael Sturdivant possesses the prototypical frame that NFL teams look for in a boundary wide receiver. He combines his size with eye-catching speed, impressive for his stature. He uses that aforementioned stature to box out defensive backs like a power forward in the paint. Once he successfully gets his position, he uses his athleticism to go up and make a strong play at the catchpoint. He can contort his body in unique ways to make plays in the air. His body control is demonstrated just as much in the air as it is on the ground. Sturdivant shows off his long strides on go routes, instantly creating separation between himself and the defender. Sturdivant is reliable as a blocker, displaying solid technique and moving defenders out of rushing lanes on outside zone concepts.
Weaknesses: The biggest concern with Sturdivant’s game is his consistency with his hands. Some throws that come his way should be freebies and he just lets the ball drop through his hands. Additionally, he is not a crafty route runner. He rounds off the breaks of his routes and struggles to separate in tight areas. He relies too often on his muscle and physicality to win reps. Bigger and stronger defenders can give Sturdivant issues closer to the line of scrimmage.
Conclusion: J. Michael Sturdivant had a productive college career. He can be a physically imposing wide receiver on the boundary who can be relied on to win 50/50 balls. His quick-twitch ability and footwork are rather limited, but he wins in other ways.
Best Team Fits: SEA, MIA, DEN
Player Comparison: Jalen Coker
Player Grade: Round 5 (58.3)
