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By Charlie Campbell
Weaknesses:
Summary: NFL scouts who attended Alabama’s practices in the fall of 2017 told me Jeudy was the next great Crimson Tide receiver to keep the tradition going under Nick Saban that has seen elite receivers like Julio Jones, Amari Cooper and Calvin Ridley dominate the competition. Those scouts had very good foresight, as that season Jeudy only had 14 receptions for 264 yards and two touchdowns.
It was a different story in 2018, as Jeudy took over as the No. 1 receiver replacing Ridley. The Alabama passing attack was also much more potent with Tua Tagovailoa as the starting quarterback instead of Jalen Hurts. Jeudy was a sophomore sensation, recording 68 receptions for 1,315 yards and 14 touchdowns. He deserved and won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the best wide receiver in college football.
As a junior, Jeudy totaled 77 receptions for 1,163 yards and 10 touchdowns. He played well for Alabama, showing his skills to be a dynamic receiver, and the extra attention paid to him helped the team’s other wide receivers break out. Still, Jeudy was a source for big plays while also serving as a good blocker for his teammates.
The first attribute that jumps out about Jeudy is speed. He is a fast wideout who is a game breaker. After a fast first-step, Jeudy has a second gear to accelerate down the field and stretch defenses over the top. He can run by double coverage and score from anywhere on the field. His speed and athleticism allow him to consistently generate separation from defensive backs because he is very difficult to run with. Along with being a vertical threat, Jeudy should be a good third-down weapon in the NFL with his ability to get open on short to intermediate routes.
After the catch, Jeudy is excellent. He is very elusive in the open field, possessing phenomenal feet to dodge tacklers, stop/start, and cut through the secondary. Jeudy’s yards-after-the-catch skills in combination with his speed make him very dangerous to turn a short reception into a long gain.
Jeudy shows pretty good technique as a receiver as well. He tracks the ball well and has late hands to reel in passes even with defenders close. While Jeudy is not a pure size mismatch, he has good enough height and shows an ability to make contested catches over defensive backs. There are times when Jeudy body catches when he could use his hands, but that is a minor issue overall. Jeudy has good feel and instincts showing an ability to break off his routes to get open for his quarterback when plays break down.
Jeudy’s hands are average. He has some drops, but nothing egregious. He probably won’t ever be one of the most sure-handed wideouts in the NFL, but drops a;sp won’t be a serious problem in his career.
For the NFL, Jerry could fit well as a X – split end – receiver who works along the sideline and challenges teams vertically. Jerry also is very dangerous on crossing routes and working the middle of the field, but given that he isn’t a big receiver, his pro team may want to limit him from doing too much work in the middle of the field.
Jeudy should be a true No. 1 receiver in the NFL and could become a perennial Pro Bowler. He is worthy of being a top-10 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Player Comparison: Odell Beckham Jr. Jeudy reminds me of Beckham coming out of LSU. Beckham has much better hands, while Jeudy is a bit more polished and steady. Jeudy’s overall style of play with his speed, route-running, and yards-after-the-catch skills remind me of Beckham.
RELATED LINKS:
2020 NFL Mock Draft: Charlie’s | Walt’s
2020 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings
2020 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
NFL Picks - Nov. 15
2025 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 13
NFL Power Rankings - Nov. 12
Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4
