Isaiah Bond, a soon-to-be former Texas Longhorns wide receiver, is facing significant criticism ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft later this month.
In a recent appearance on the Nightcap podcast with Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, Bond was confronted with harsh comments from an anonymous NFL scout. Sharpe read the scout’s feedback, which labeled Bond as “selfish” and “a diva.”
“This is his exact quote, Isaiah, I’m not adding anything, I’m not changing it,” Sharpe said. “This is what he said: ‘Prototypical, what you would think of in a wide receiver. Just generic, boilerplate, selfish, diva, wide receiver.’ What’s your response to that?”
Bond handled the situation professionally, explaining that despite suffering a grade 3 high-ankle sprain during the season, he chose to play through the pain instead of sitting out, remaining committed to his teammates and their pursuit of a national championship.
Johnson, who is also a former receiver, offered some perspective, pointing out that many of the best wide receivers share some level of “diva” qualities. “All the great ones have that in them,” he said. “You’ve got to be a little selfish. All the best receivers do.
Johnson also encouraged Bond not to let the criticism affect him, reminding him that it’s not about where he gets drafted, but what he does once he gets there.
Bond’s season at Texas didn’t go as expected due to his injury. He was limited during the final stretch, with minimal production, including just one catch for 22 yards in the SEC Championship. He missed the first round of the College Football Playoff against Clemson and returned for the Peach Bowl against Arizona State, but didn’t make a catch. In the Cotton Bowl loss to Ohio State, he recorded just one catch for eight yards. Despite these setbacks, Bond finished the season with 34 catches for 540 yards and five touchdowns, along with four carries for 98 yards and a touchdown.
Now, Bond sets his sights on the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay on April 24.
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