Akron freshman Jalen Hightower is an undersized, local WR with developmental upside
Jalen Hightower is a **redshirt sophomore** wide receiver for Akron, but there is **no public game-log production available yet**, so his value is more about projection than box-score output.[12][10] Listed at **5-11, 190**, he brings a compact frame and a local pedigree from Hoban in Copley, Ohio, which can matter for toughness, familiarity, and buy-in.[12][6] The fit question is simple: he looks like a **developmental depth piece** right now, best suited to a staff that values upside, special-teams utility, and patience over instant WR1 numbers.[6][3]
