Pat Bryant: College, Number, College Stats, Is He Playing Today, Illinois

Pat Bryant is a wide receiver for the Denver Broncos who made his name at the University of Illinois. After an impressive senior season with the Fighting Illini, Bryant entered the 2025 NFL Draft and was selected by Denver in the third round with the 74th overall pick.

Bryant has continued to attract attention because of his size, physical style and ability to make plays in the red zone. His Illinois career also gives fans plenty of reasons to look back at his college statistics.

Who is Pat Bryant?

Pat Bryant is an American football wide receiver who currently plays for the Denver Broncos. He was born on December 10, 2002, and played his college football at Illinois.

Bryant stands around 6-foot-2 and weighs approximately 204 pounds. He attended Atlantic Coast High School in Jacksonville, Florida, before committing to Illinois.

The Broncos selected him No. 74 overall in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

His combination of size and receiving ability made him an intriguing NFL prospect. He was particularly productive during his final season at Illinois.

What college did Pat Bryant attend?

Pat Bryant attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and played for the Illinois Fighting Illini from 2021 through 2024.

He arrived at Illinois as a highly regarded wide receiver prospect from Florida. During his four college seasons, Bryant developed from a young receiver into one of the Fighting Illini’s leading offensive weapons.

His biggest statistical jump came during his junior and senior seasons.

Bryant’s college career ended with him firmly established as one of Illinois’ top receiving threats and helped put him on the NFL Draft radar.

What number did Pat Bryant wear at Illinois?

Pat Bryant wore No. 13 at Illinois.

The No. 13 jersey became closely associated with Bryant during his Fighting Illini career. He continued to wear No. 13 after entering the NFL with the Denver Broncos. Current player listings also identify Bryant as Denver’s No. 13 wide receiver.

Pat Bryant college stats

Bryant finished his Illinois career with 54 receptions for 2,095 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns, according to available college career records. He played in 46 games during his four seasons with the Fighting Illini.

His season-by-season numbers show how his production increased:

Bryant’s 2024 season was easily the most productive of his college career. He recorded 54 catches for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns in 12 games. Illinois lists him as playing all 12 games with 11 starts that season.

Pat Bryant’s 2024 Illinois season

Bryant’s senior season was the campaign that significantly raised his NFL Draft stock.

He became Illinois’ No. 1 receiving option and finished with 54 receptions, 984 yards and 10 touchdowns.

His touchdown production was particularly impressive. Bryant’s 10 receiving touchdowns in 2024 tied for the best single-season total in Illinois football history, according to the school’s statistical records reported by available college-football references.

One of his most memorable moments came against Rutgers. Bryant caught a 40-yard game-winning touchdown in the closing seconds, highlighting the big-play ability that eventually helped him become an NFL Draft selection.

Pat Bryant college stats: Career highlights

Bryant’s Illinois career included several notable achievements.

College: Illinois
Position: Wide receiver
College number: No. 13
College seasons: 2021-2024
Career receiving yards: 2,095
Career receiving touchdowns: 19
Senior-season receptions: 54
Senior-season receiving yards: 984
Senior-season touchdowns: 10

He also finished among Illinois’ all-time leaders in receiving touchdowns. His 19 career receiving touchdowns put him alongside some of the school’s most productive receivers.

When was Pat Bryant drafted?

The Denver Broncos selected Pat Bryant in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft with the 74th overall pick.

Denver viewed Bryant as a developmental receiver with the physical traits to contribute in a professional offense.

His rookie season showed flashes of that potential. Bryant finished the 2025 regular season with 31 receptions for 378 yards and one touchdown in 15 games.

He also appeared in two playoff games and recorded four catches for 34 yards.

Is Pat Bryant playing today?

Yes, Pat Bryant was active for the Broncos’ Week 1 game against the Kansas City Chiefs on September 14, 2026, which finished in the early hours of September 15 in India.

Denver faced Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium in the opening game of its 2026 regular season. The Broncos lost 31-10.

Bryant was involved in the Denver offense during the game. He caught a 10-yard pass from Bo Nix during the second quarter, and another pass intended for him fell incomplete.

Because that Week 1 game has already been completed, Bryant is not playing today in a Broncos game on September 15. Denver’s season opener was played on Monday night, September 14 in the United States.

Pat Bryant latest status

Bryant entered the 2026 season as part of Denver’s wide receiver group. The Broncos had him on their active roster heading into the regular season, and Illinois’ official football site listed him among its former players on active NFL rosters.

There is also no indication from the latest sources reviewed that Bryant is dealing with a new injury that would remove him from Denver’s plans.

The Broncos’ 2026 season began against Kansas City, and Bryant was available for that matchup.

Pat Bryant NFL stats

After his first NFL season, Bryant had the following regular-season numbers:

His first NFL touchdown came on a pass from quarterback Bo Nix against the Dallas Cowboys in 2025.

That rookie campaign gave Bryant valuable experience as he adjusted to the speed and physicality of the NFL.

Pat Bryant and Illinois

Illinois played an important role in Bryant’s development.

He arrived at the program as a young receiver and gradually became a major part of the offense. His 2024 campaign was the breakthrough year, with Bryant becoming the Fighting Illini’s leading receiving weapon.

His final college season produced almost 1,000 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. That production helped establish him as an NFL-caliber receiver.

Illinois continues to highlight Bryant as one of its former players who reached an active NFL roster.

What makes Pat Bryant a promising receiver?

Bryant’s biggest advantage is his combination of size, physicality and touchdown production.

At roughly 6-foot-2 and 204 pounds, he provides a sizable target for quarterbacks. His 2024 Illinois season also demonstrated that he can be particularly effective near the goal line.

His development with Denver is therefore worth watching. The Broncos have several receiving options, but Bryant’s size gives the offense a different type of target.

His rookie numbers were modest, but he showed enough flashes to remain an intriguing young player entering his second NFL season.

Pat Bryant FAQs

What college did Pat Bryant go to?

Pat Bryant attended the University of Illinois and played for the Fighting Illini from 2021 through 2024.

What number is Pat Bryant?

Pat Bryant wears No. 13 for the Denver Broncos. He also wore No. 13 at Illinois.

What were Pat Bryant’s college stats?

Bryant finished his Illinois career with 54 receptions for 2,095 yards and 19 receiving touchdowns. His best season came in 2024, when he had 54 receptions for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Is Pat Bryant playing today?

Bryant played for Denver in the Broncos’ Week 1 matchup against Kansas City on September 14, 2026. The game ended with Kansas City winning 31-10.

What NFL team does Pat Bryant play for?

Pat Bryant plays wide receiver for the Denver Broncos.

When was Pat Bryant drafted?

The Broncos selected Bryant with the 74th overall pick in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

How many receiving touchdowns did Pat Bryant have at Illinois?

Bryant recorded 19 career receiving touchdowns at Illinois, including 10 during his outstanding 2024 senior season.

Conclusion

Pat Bryant’s path from Illinois to the Denver Broncos was built around steady development and an outstanding senior season. At Illinois, he finished with 2,095 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns, including 984 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024.

The Broncos selected him 74th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, and he produced 31 receptions for 378 yards and one touchdown as a rookie.

Now wearing No. 13 in Denver, Bryant enters the 2026 season looking to build on that foundation and earn a larger role in the Broncos’ offense.