2020 NFL Draft Prospect – Jerry Jeudy, WR Alabama

Dwight Peebles

Our NFL rookie profile series continues with this analysis of 2020 NFL Draft Prospect Jerry Jeudy, WR from Alabama. You can also check out all of our NFL Draft Prospect articles here. We will continue to provide you with these in-depth rookie profiles and a ton of other fantasy football rookie analysis right up through the NFL Draft. Stay tuned, and stay ahead of your league!

In 2018, Jerry Jeudy burst onto the college landscape and stamped his name atop most rankings as the number one ranked wide receiver draft-eligible in 2020. He had a dominant season which ended with a Biletnikoff Trophy as the top wide receiver in college football. He looked poised to take a step forward in a high-flying offense led by Tua Tagovailoa and be even better in 2019.

The 2019 season brought a drop in production but still a stellar campaign. The offense fed several other receivers targets as well as NFL-caliber running back Najee Harris. After a disappointing season that found the Tide on the outside of the College Football Playoff, Jeudy opted to forgo his senior season for the NFL Draft.

THE STATS

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Statistics from sports-reference.com.

After a quiet freshman season in which the Crimson Tide were National Champions, he quickly established a strong rapport with fellow NFL Draft entrant Tagovailoa in 2018. As far as seasons which have culminated in Biletnikoff Awards, his season was not as impressive as some others. For example, 2019 winner J’Marr Chase amassed over 400 more yards and six more TDs.

Those stats were not a true indicator of how dominant he was and how much he meant to Alabama’s offense.

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Using DLF’s College Market Share App, and compared to fellow top wide receiver prospect CeeDee Lamb, we can see how much of the market Jeudy commanded in 2018. They nearly matched as far as market share of their respective team’s receiving yards. Alabama and Oklahoma had two of the most dominant offenses in 2018. It all filtered through the young receiver and his stud quarterback and they made the most of it.

The 2019 season brought a slight regression to below the baseline as several other receivers emerged for the Tide. He caught nine more passes but fewer yards and touchdowns, and his average yards per catch dropped 4.2 yards. Jeudy caught more short passes and was not used on the outside as much. He worked out of the slot more and fellow wideouts Devonta Smith and Henry Ruggs garnered increased targets from the outside receiver spots. It did showcase the versatility in his game and his ability to win against defenders quickly exposed many defensive backs and linebackers.

THE FILM

Jeudy’s game is defined by his technicality and precise feet. He doesn’t waste movements and sets up defenders well. We have a collection of videos available at DLF and below are some clips that showcase facets of his game.

Jeudy has the best footwork amongst the wide receivers in the class. He uses subtle movements of the hips and sets up defenders. He uses the hips to set up his footwork. He sells routes and he accelerates in and out of breaks crisply. Smooth is a word which comes to mind every route he runs. It is quick, efficient, and looks effortless. He stackSome of the most beautiful route-running I have seen.

The thread attached to the tweet has a detailed breakdown of Jeudy’s game and several of the tweets in this thread highlight the immediate separation. He gets separation often within the first couple moves. Against press coverage, his ability to separate makes him lethal. He sets up defenders with quick footwork and body fakes. He will sell a route with upper body movement and then change direction at full speed – all within the first two or three steps. What he does in the first five yards is elite and will translate well to the NFL.

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Ability to run great routes isn’t as important as some make it out to be, but it is a huge part of Jeudy’s success. He always is where he should be and quarterbacks can rely on him. The footwork, separation, all this leads to precise routes and leads to him being open. He has reliable, sure hands – coupled with the separation and technical route running – he does so much well, it should make his transition to the next level easier.

The clip above showcases Jeudy’s run-after-the-catch ability. He breaks out of his route cleanly and after getting the ball in his hands, can be a nightmare to tackle. Once again, he uses footwork to set up defenders and accelerates out of breaks quickly. He changes direction after he gets the ball suddenly and efficiently. He can stop and start on a dime, then burst out of the grasp of defenders. His lateral agility and ability to shift direction makes him dangerous in small spaces. Then he has enough speed to break away after he gets into the open field.

THE MEASURABLES

The overall numbers for Jeudy were not overly impressive, yet not surprising either. He performed athletically as what was expected. His 40-yard dash time of 4.45 seconds was quicker than expected but it validated the speed you see when you watch him in-game. He was average in broad and vertical jumps but did not participate in the three-cone drill. The three-cone could have showcased his agility.

From the athletic standpoint, he profiled similarly to Adam Theilen.

If I had to draw a player comparison to his game, I would be hard-pressed to come up with a better comparison of Jeudy’s game than Adam Thielen. Both receivers are technicians and their games depend on their ability to get quick separation. They have good speed and are reliable targets as well.

Robert Woods posted similar numbers at his Combine in 2013 and is also a good comparison. He also has a well-rounded game and is quietly one of the most reliable receivers in the NFL. Jeudy has a complete game and the athletic comparison to both Thielen and Woods are nearly spot-on.

DYNASTY VALUE

The complete skill-set should make him a valuable receiver right away. He is one of the few rookies where landing spot isn’t as critical and he should be successful wherever he lands. He is currently being drafted fifth overall and the second wide receiver off the board in April rookie ADP conducted by DLF.

Jeudy may have more success as a slot receiver but could also thrive as an outside receiver. He has a complete game but he doesn’t have overly elite skills in which he could consistently dominate top cornerbacks. Ideally, with another good receiver opposite him would be optimal for his success. He could develop into an alpha-receiver, it isn’t there quite yet but it could be with some added strength and refinement.

If he is drafted into a proficient offense his value could increase quickly and he could be a wide receiver two in his first few seasons. If he lands on an offense handicapped by poor quarterback play, his value right now should still hold fairly steady. Jeudy is capable of being a solid receiver and finding targets, even in a stymied offense.

In overall Dynasty ADP, he has been coming off the board on average around pick 41 per March mock drafts. He is being drafted after Keenan Allen and Allen Robinson, and just before Calvin Ridley and Deebo Samuel. With this draft capital, you are counting on him to be a WR2 right out of the gate.

CONCLUSION

For the past few seasons, Jeudy has been at the top of wide receiver rankings for players who could come out in 2020. He is probably the safest receiver in this class, I don’t see any way he is going to bust in the NFL. He may not have the immense upside of CeeDee Lamb, the elite speed of Henry Ruggs, or the unrealized potential of Jalen Reagor. He still is as close to a complete receiver as we have seen in the past few draft classes.

Jeudy is a player you can draft in the top five of rookie drafts and the top 50 of start-ups. He will return on your investment and be a solid receiver for your fantasy squads for the next decade. He has the overall game which can succeed in any offense and the ability to get better and be a WR1 in the right scheme and situation.

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