Cayden Lee

#19 · WR · Missouri5′11″ · 180 lb · Kennesaw, GA · Kennesaw Mountain

Receiving yards73018th of 467 receivers Last gameW 34–10at Arkansas · Oct 31

Nextvs TexasSat Nov 7 · 12 pm ET

This week

RecordMissouri is 6-2, No. 19 in the AP poll (week 10).
Next gamevs Texas · Sat Nov 7

What’s being said

6 stories in the last 30 days, from 7 outlets.

Stories per day. W and L: the team’s results.

Former Ole Miss players Cayden Lee, Austin Simmons on injury report for Missouri game - The Clarion-Ledger

The Clarion-Ledger +1 Oct 14

All 13 stories this season

Worth knowing

Cayden Lee spent three seasons at Ole Miss before this one.

His most important play this season

Q2, 12:58 · Missouri down 3, takes the leadAustin Simmons finds Cayden Lee for a 32-yard touchdownTexas A&M at Missouri, week 6Q2, 12:58 · Missouri 7, Texas A&M 3▼41%Missouri’s chance to win, 69% to 28%▼41%Missouri’s chance to win, 69% to 28%Cayden Lee 32 yd pass from Austin Simmons (Blake Craig Kick)Watch from this play

All 4 of his plays on video

Every catch and target this season

10203040504346

leftmiddleright

a catch, dashed to the catch point then solid afterthrown to him, incomplete

Seen from behind the quarterback; numbers are yards past the line of scrimmage. The play text only says left, middle or right, so inside a lane marks are sorted, not placed. Of his catches with a spot in the play text: left 13, middle 6, right 6.

Cayden Lee

WR · Missouri · #19

On Trialas of Nov 4

Cayden Lee takes over from Kevin Coleman Jr. at Missouri.

730receiving yards51catches5receiving TD

3★ · NATIONAL RECRUIT

No.475

recruiting national rank

Missouri fans are litigating the player's worthiness — the eye test against the résumé.

medium confidence28 sources

Minority viewA vocal minority sees it the other way.

Read the story so far

Cayden Lee arrived as a 3-star prospect, the No.475 recruit nationally. Cayden Lee lines up at WR for Missouri.

On the field, the headline is 730 rec yds, with 51 rec.

Cayden Lee inherited the WR job from Kevin Coleman Jr. (4-star).

Missouri fans are litigating the player's worthiness — the eye test against the résumé.

The number to watch: No.475 — 3★ · national recruit.

WR successionleap of faith

Inherited fromKevin Coleman Jr. 4★

AI-generated narrative · may contain errors · not journalism · updated 2026-11-04

Style of play

Play style

Wins underneath on volume and route precision.

Similar players

Closest statistical matches, adjusted for opponent strength.

Asaad WaseemPurdue · 2026 · 87% season match
Curry SextonKansas State · 2014 · 86% season match
Sean ModsterBoise State · 2018 · 85% season match
Dalen PensonGeorgia Tech · 2026 · 84% season match
Mike DudekIllinois · 2014 · 83% season match

Career stats

Swipe the table sideways for more columns.

Season	Team
2026	Missouri	51	730	14.3	5	47
2025	Ole Miss	44	635	14.4	3	62
2024	Ole Miss	57	874	15.3	2	58
2023	Ole Miss	5	114	22.8	2	51
Career		157	2,353	15.0	12	62

Season	Team
2026	Missouri	--	--
2025	Ole Miss	--	--
2024	Ole Miss	2	18
2023	Ole Miss	--	--
Career		2	18

Last game (Wk 9): 78 receiving yards, 6 catches.

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2026 season · 8 games

Box score · CFBD

Swipe the table sideways for more columns.

Wk	Opp	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	Note
Wk 1	W 54-14vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff	4	80	20.0	1	47
Wk 2	W 38-21@ Kansas	6	120	20.0	1	27
Wk 3	W 27-17vs Troy	4	30	7.5	0	23
Wk 4	L 24-31@ No. 24 Mississippi State	11	156	14.2	2	37	Season-high 156 yds
Wk 5	W 45-17vs No. 8 Florida	8	110	13.8	0	29
Wk 6	W 27-6vs Texas A&M	7	94	13.4	1	32
Wk 7	L 3-31@ No. 9 Ole Miss	5	62	12.4	0	43
Wk 9	W 34-10@ Arkansas	6	78	13.0	0	46
Total		51	730	14.3	5	47

The latest game

Oct. 31 · W 34-10 at Arkansas, play by play

6 catches for 78 yards. He was 2 of 3 on third and fourth down.

6 of 8 targets caught
3 moved the chains
2 of 3 on 3rd and 4th down
8 of 31 Missouri passes came his way

First quarterbegan tied 0-0
1st & 107
2nd & 38 1st down
Second quarterbegan up 10-0
1st & 10incomplete
3rd & 65
2nd & 115
Third quarterbegan up 13-7
3rd & 37 1st down1
3rd & 646 1st down2
1st & 10incomplete
FinalW 34-10

a catch, by its yardsa touchdownthrown to him, incomplete

1
7-yard catch on 3rd and 3. Third quarter, up 13-7. Converted.
2
46-yard catch on 3rd and 6. Third quarter, up 13-7. Converted.

The season, game by game

W 34-10 at ArkansasOct. 3178 yds6 catchesPlay by play just above · tied for 70th in FBS that week

L 3-31 at Ole MissOct. 1762 yds5 catchestied for 124th in FBS that week

Play by playOn the field

5 catches for 62 yards. 47 of the 62 came before halftime.

5 of 13 targets caught
2 moved the chains
2 of 7 on 3rd and 4th down
4 broken up (B. Purchase, J. Braxton, N. Cull, W. Echoles)
13 of 44 Missouri passes came his way

First quarterbegan tied 0-0
2nd & 104
Second quarterbegan down 7-3
3rd & 1343 1st down1
3rd & 5broken up
1st & 10incomplete
2nd & 10incomplete
2nd & 10broken up
Third quarterbegan down 21-3
1st & 105
3rd & 45 1st down
3rd & 6incomplete
4th & 6broken up2
3rd & 10incomplete
Fourth quarterbegan down 21-3
2nd & 105
3rd & 4broken up
FinalL 3-31

a catch, by its yardsa touchdownthrown to him, incomplete

1
43-yard catch on 3rd and 13. Second quarter, down 14-3. Converted.
2
Incomplete on 4th and 6. Third quarter, down 21-3. Turnover on downs. Broken up by Ole Miss’s W. Echoles.

102030405043

leftmiddleright

a catch, dashed to the catch point then solid afterthrown to him, incomplete

Seen from behind the quarterback; numbers are yards past the line of scrimmage. The play text only says left, middle or right, so inside a lane marks are sorted, not placed.

6 more games, with the play by play

W 27-6 vs Texas A&MOct. 1094 yds7 catches, 1 TDtied for 36th in FBS that week

7 catches for 94 yards and a touchdown.

Not drawn: the play-by-play has 7 catches for 98 yards, the box score 7 for 94, so no play is placed until they agree.

W 45-17 vs FloridaOct. 3110 yds8 catches22nd in FBS that week

Play by playOn the field

8 catches for 110 yards. 75 of the 110 came before halftime.

8 of 9 targets caught
7 moved the chains
2 of 3 on 3rd and 4th down
9 of 30 Missouri passes came his way

First quarterbegan tied 0-0
1st & 108
3rd & 8incomplete1
Second quarterbegan tied 3-3
3rd & 45 1st down2
2nd & 77 1st down
2nd & 429 1st down3
1st & 1010 1st down
1st & 1016 1st down
Third quarterbegan up 20-10
1st & 1014 1st down
3rd & 321 1st down
FinalW 45-17

a catch, by its yardsa touchdownthrown to him, incomplete

1
Incomplete on 3rd and 8. First quarter, down 3-0.
2
5-yard catch on 3rd and 4. Second quarter, tied 3-3. Converted.
3
29-yard catch. Second quarter, tied 10-10.

1020304050

leftmiddleright

a catch, dashed to the catch point then solid afterthrown to him, incomplete

Seen from behind the quarterback; numbers are yards past the line of scrimmage. The play text only says left, middle or right, so inside a lane marks are sorted, not placed.

L 24-31 at Mississippi StateSept. 26156 yds11 catches, 2 TD7th in FBS that week

11 catches for 156 yards and 2 touchdowns, 7th-most in FBS that week, his most catches this season, in a 24-31 loss.

Not drawn: the play-by-play has 11 catches for 158 yards, the box score 11 for 156, so no play is placed until they agree.

W 27-17 vs TroySept. 1930 yds4 catchestied for 349th in FBS that week

4 catches for 30 yards.

Not drawn: the play-by-play has 4 catches for 38 yards, the box score 4 for 30, so no play is placed until they agree.

W 38-21 at KansasSept. 11120 yds6 catches, 1 TD18th in FBS that week

Play by playOn the field

6 catches for 120 yards and a touchdown. He was 2 of 4 on third and fourth down.

6 of 9 targets caught
6 moved the chains
2 of 4 on 3rd and 4th down
1 broken up (C. Gordon)
9 of 30 Missouri passes came his way

First quarterbegan tied 0-0
3rd & 6incomplete1
3rd & 79 1st down2
Second quarterbegan tied 0-0
3rd & 617 1st down3
1st & 1021 1st down
2nd & 527 TD4
Third quarterbegan tied 14-14
1st & 10broken up
2nd & 1020 1st down
3rd & 4incomplete
1st & 1026 1st down
FinalW 38-21

a catch, by its yardsa touchdownthrown to him, incomplete

1
Incomplete on 3rd and 6. First quarter, tied 0-0.
2
9-yard catch on 3rd and 7. First quarter, tied 0-0. Converted.
3
17-yard catch on 3rd and 6. Second quarter, tied 0-0. Converted.
4
27-yard touchdown. Second quarter, made it 14-14.

1020304050

leftmiddleright

a catch, dashed to the catch point then solid afterthrown to him, incomplete

Seen from behind the quarterback; numbers are yards past the line of scrimmage. The play text only says left, middle or right, so inside a lane marks are sorted, not placed.

W 54-14 vs Arkansas-Pine BluffSept. 380 yds4 catches, 1 TDtied for 85th in FBS that week

4 catches for 80 yards and a touchdown.

Not drawn: the play-by-play has 4 catches for 84 yards, the box score 4 for 80, so no play is placed until they agree.

Signature game

Week 4 · 2026

L 24-31

at Mississippi State

11 rec · 156 yds · 2 TD

With A. Simmons — 295 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 75.4 · B. Reus — 48 yards per punt · 4 punts · 2 inside the 20

Signature plays

The plays that mattered most

Week 7 · Ole Miss · 3rd and 13 · Q2 · EPA +4.27Simmons to Lee: a 43-yard pass.
Week 4 · Mississippi State · 3rd and 7 · Q3 · EPA +3.68Simmons to Lee: a 28-yard touchdown pass.
Week 6 · Texas A&M · 3rd and 4 · Q2 · EPA +3.62Simmons to Lee: a 32-yard touchdown pass.
Week 1 · Arkansas-Pine Bluff · 1st and 10 · Q2 · EPA +3.61A. Simmons pass to C. Lee for 47 yds, for a TD (B. Craig KICK)
Week 9 · Arkansas · 3rd and 6 · Q3 · EPA +3.57Simmons to Lee: a 46-yard pass.
Week 4 · Mississippi State · 2nd and 12 · Q3 · EPA +3.14Simmons to Lee: a 21-yard touchdown pass.

4 more plays

Week 2 · Kansas · 3rd and 6 · Q2 · EPA +2.95Simmons to Lee: a 17-yard pass.
Week 6 · Texas A&M · 2nd and 9 · Q3 · EPA +2.90Simmons to Lee: a 25-yard pass.
Week 2 · Kansas · 2nd and 5 · Q2 · EPA +2.79Simmons to Lee: a 27-yard touchdown pass.
Week 4 · Mississippi State · 3rd and 10 · Q1 · EPA +2.67Simmons to Lee: a 10-yard pass.

Where he ranks

Rec yards73018thAmong 468 receivers with 12 or more catches

Receptions51tied for 17thAmong 468 receivers with 12 or more catches

Yards / catch14.3tied for 159thAmong 468 receivers with 12 or more catches

Rec TDs5tied for 35thAmong 468 receivers with 12 or more catches

Long catch47tied for 197thAmong 468 receivers with 12 or more catches

18th in receiving yards, among all 2,086 FBS players with a receiving row this season, any position

Catches512nd in the SEC this season; tied for 13th among current FBS players over the whole career (157).

Receiving yards7301st in the SEC this season; 4th among current FBS players over the whole career (2,353).

Receiving touchdowns5tied for 5th in the SEC this season.

Conference ranks count every player in the conference with a row in that stat, any position. Career ranks count current FBS players, from the games in our log.

Opponents faced, by strength

Ratings of the games shown run from -10 to +15 points against an average team (SP+ rating of each opponent).

Receiving profile

Receiver profile · Targets, catch rate, and throw depth

How often he's targeted, and how well it works

51 rec · 730 yds · 5 TD

51 of 51 receptions matched to play-by-play

73 of 75 targets charted for true throw depth

Targets

7530% of team targets

Catch rate

68%51 of 75 targets

Behind LOS · Negative air yds

12% of targets (9)

100%catch rate

Air -2.7 · YAC 6.1 avg

Short · 0–9 air yds

40% of targets (29)

72%catch rate

Air 4.9 · YAC 3.0 avg

Middle · 10–19 air yds

29% of targets (21)

52%catch rate

Air 13.4 · YAC 6.3 avg

Deep · 20+ air yds

19% of targets (14)

57%catch rate

Air 26.6 · YAC 3.9 avg

68% catch rate on 75 targets · 30% of the team's targets · 57% catch rate on 14 deep targets (20+ air yds).

Teams and coaches

2023Ole Miss11-2HC: Lane Kiffin · Run-leaning

2024Ole Miss10-3HC: Lane Kiffin · Balanced

2025Ole Miss13-2HC: Lane Kiffin and Pete Golding · Balanced

2026Missouri6-2HC: Eli Drinkwitz · Balanced

Our ratings

CFB Zeitgeist Score 85 (#19 of 465). Show the ratings

Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort

Box-score + play-by-play EPA percentiles

85All-Conference level #19 of 465?

10 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: explosive rate (95th percentile). Strength: rec yards (96th percentile).

Real play-by-play efficiency

Explosive rate#28 / 569 · 95th pct

24.0%

Yards / catch#146 / 569 · 74th pct

14.7

EPA / target#191 / 569 · 67th pct

0.55

Catch rate#215 / 569 · 62nd pct

68.0%

TD rate#221 / 569 · 61st pct

5.3%

Box-score rates (5)

Rec yards#18 / 468 · 96th pct

730

Receptions#17 / 468 · 96th pct

Rec TDs#35 / 468 · 90th pct

Yards / catch#159 / 468 · 65th pct

14.3

Long catch#197 / 468 · 57th pct

Season trend

Last seasonThis season

EPA / target

78th → 67th percentile

Explosive rate

78th → 95th percentile

Catch rate

53rd → 62nd percentile

TD rate

62nd → 61st percentile

Yards / catch

75th → 74th percentile

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season. Most bars are box-score rates; EPA / success-rate bars are computed from real play-by-play (offense only — no defensive EPA model exists yet).

Splits

Home and road splits, scheme and staff

Splits · Per-game

2026 season · 8 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	REC/g	YDS/g	YPR	TD/g
Home4g	5.8	78.5	13.7	0.5
Road4g	7.0	104	14.9	0.8

First half vs Second half

	REC/g	YDS/g	YPR	TD/g
Weeks 1-77g	6.4	93.1	14.5	0.7
Weeks 8+1g	6.0	78.0	13.0	0.0

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Eli Drinkwitz

Pass share

47.4%

255 pass / 283 run

Plays / game

67.2

8 games

Team sack rate

3.0%

269 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Balanced.

Awards

Player standing · 2026

Impact starter

51 catches in 8 games, more catches a game than nearly every FBS receiver who plays every week.

Recognition

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Production · CFB Zeitgeist Score

85 · #19 of 465 WRs

Three-star recruit. Now #19 at the position.

Cayden Lee

This week

What’s being said

Worth knowing

His most important play this season

Every catch and target this season

Style of play

Similar players

In the news in the last 30 days

In the news this season

What they’re talking about

Week by week

What was said at each stop

In the news across his career

What fans said

In the game threads

Named in

Where to follow

Career stats

Game log

The latest game

The season, game by game

Signature game

Signature plays

Where he ranks

Receiving profile

Teams and coaches

Our ratings

Splits

Awards

Impact starter

Four seasons, two schools

Moves

2023 3 games

2026 8 games

Cayden Lee

This week

What’s being said

Worth knowing

His most important play this season

32% of the catches, 36% of the yards, 31% of the touchdowns

Share of the team's receiving yards, game by game

Who caught the team's passes

Every catch and target this season

Style of play

Similar players

In the news in the last 30 days

In the news this season

What they’re talking about

Week by week

What was said at each stop

In the news across his career

What fans said

In the game threads

Named in

Where to follow

Career stats

Game log

The latest game

The season, game by game

Signature game

Signature plays

Where he ranks

Receiving profile

Teams and coaches

Our ratings

Splits

Awards

Impact starter

Four seasons, two schools

Moves

2023 3 games

2026 8 games