Sports

Christian McCaffrey’s Brother, Luke, Trends After Bowl Game TD; The Family’s Next NFL Product?

#College Football
by
A football rests on the playing field.

iStockphoto


Luke McCaffrey is looking to become the next in his family to make waves in the NFL. He’s wrapping up his junior season at Rice and could become a professional draft selection in April.

He began trending online during the Owls’ bowl game, scoring a touchdown on his team’s second drive of the game.

Rice appeared in its second consecutive bowl game this December after playing in the LendingTree Bowl in 2022. Facing Texas State, a team competing in its first ever postseason matchup at the FBS level, McCaffrey got his team on the board in the first quarter.

Tiptoeing the sidelines, he keeps his balance while taking on a hit from a Bobcats defender to find paydirt. The touchdown reception tied the game at 7-7 early, and put an exclamation point on a monster year.

It was his 13th scoring catch of the season and added to his 963 receiving yards as he looks to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career.

Luke McCaffrey’s path to Rice

The wideout began his career as a signal caller, committing to Nebraska to compete for the starting quarterback role. A three-star recruit and the No. 2 prospect in the state of Colorado, he’d hoped to see the field early and often.

That path didn’t work out for McCaffrey as he finished his Cornhuskers’ career with twice as many interceptions as touchdown passes.

After a transfer in 2021, he transitioned to the receiving corps. In his first stint as a pass catcher, he posted respectable numbers of 723 yards and six scores. He also rushed for 148 yards and another touchdown.

He’s built upon that in 2023, flashing versatility and production we’ve grown accustomed to seeing from his father, Ed, and brother, CMC.

Just flipping through his highlight reel, you’ll see a number of impressive touchdown receptions and one-handed grabs.

The next NFL McCaffrey?

His dad was an NFL great playing wide receiver for the Broncos and John Elway. Ed McCaffrey won three Super Bowls and was named All-Pro after a 1,053-yard season in 1998.

That NFL success continued with Christian, the older brother of Luke McCaffrey, who very well could be this year’s MVP and a future Lombardi trophy winner himself.

Is Luke up next? Many think so.

He’s garnered NFL attention thanks to his impressive output as a receiver, and some mock drafts are pegging him as a Day 3 pick.

We’ll see if that comes to fruition next spring, though he still has an option to return for his senior season.