Open the Control Room

Alabama Wide Receiver Jerry Jeudy Declares For The 2020 NFL Draft

Dynasty / By

Dynasty owners who have sold out for the 2020 class have been quite fortunate in the past few weeks. Almost every prospect we wanted to declare did declare. The decision could have gone differently for the talented trio from Alabama. After a disappointing season—anything other than a title is a disappointment for them—it wouldn’t have been inconceivable for Tua Tagovailoa, Henry Ruggs III and Jerry Jeudy to return for another shot. After all, they didn’t win the title for two consecutive seasons. Thankfully, dynasty owners won’t have to wait until 2021 for them. On January 4th, Jerry Jeudy became the first to announce his declaration for the 2020 NFL Draft.

High School

Jerry Jeudy grew up in Deerfield Beach, FL where he attended Deerfield Beach High School. Jeudy accumulated 76 catches for 1,054 yards and 15 TDs his senior season. His play earned him a spot on the USA Today All-USA second team. Additionally, he played in the 2017 Under Armor All-American Game. Even against the best, Jeudy dominated. At a young age, he displayed an understanding of how to mix up route tempo to create an advantage over the cornerback.

Per 24/7 sports, Jeudy had a composite score of 0.9881, giving him the honor of being a five-star recruit. As the 21st ranked player nationally and 3rd WR, Jeudy had his choice of the most prestigious college programs. Without much competition, Alabama landed another stud when Jeudy committed on July 28, 2016. 

College Statistics  

 

Just looking at the stats, it’s easy to believe that Jeudy had a rather unimpressive freshman season. People may have forgotten that life was rough for wide receivers before Tua. Jeudy’s 264 receiving yards were second on the team, trailing only Calvin Ridley. The run-heavy offense led by Jalen Hurts did not prioritize getting the ball downfield. While his stats weren’t impressive, he was. Jeudy consistently beat corners, showing off great route running in the process.

With a quarterback capable of pushing the ball downfield, Jeudy exploded in 2018. Surrounded by other NFL talent, Jeudy posted a 68-1,315-14 receiving line. For fans of metrics, he posted a statistical breakout season (dominator rating >20%), making his breakout age 19.5. This season also resulted in Jeudy winning the Biletnikoff (the award for the nation’s best WR) and being named a unanimous first-team All-American. Jeudy’s statistical output finally matched what he was putting forth on tape. Jeudy showed to be one of the premier deep threats in college football.

Before the 2019 college football season, Jeudy was the near-consensus WR1 and considered by many to be a top 5 pick in the NFL draft. This season has thrown a wrench into that. Seeing a decrease in production, Jeudy was not the most productive member of his team. Devonta Smith outperformed Jeudy from a statistical perspective.

Jerry Jeudy: 77 receptions, 1163 yards, and 10 TDS

Devonta Smith: 68 catches, 1256 yards, 14 TDS

While Jeudy may have played in the best receiving corps in college football history, it’s discouraging to see him fail to dominate his team receiving corps. There is an argument that “he played with other NFL level wide receivers”. The problem with that is that he’s going to play with NFL level wide receivers in the NFL. 

Film Breakdown

Jeudy is knocked by some for his lack of physicality and ability in contested catch situations. This first play comes from his freshman season. The corner isn’t looking at the ball, he’s relying on Jeudy’s reactions to be able to make a play on this. Because of that, Jeudy can’t show every movement right away. He does a great job of engaging with the defender, creating just enough separation to jump for the ball when it gets to where he wants it. This play is an example of impressive deep ball skills from a freshman wide receiver.

This next play is from Jeudy’s sophomore season. Jeudy is lined up in the slot. He runs free across the middle of the field and easily secures the reception; this is when the fun starts. Blessed with nasty jukes and incredible stop-start ability, Jeudy shows off his talents in the open field. He picks up 16 yards after the catch, breaking an LSU defender’s ankles in the process. Jeudy’s tape is filled with ankle-breaking moves like that; both running routes and with the ball in his hands.

This last play is from his junior season. Jeudy is running a route from the slot. Jeudy does an excellent job of selling the inside route. His body is turned and he’s looking inside. When the corner reads that Jeudy is running an inside route, Jeudy reacts. He quickly plants his feet and swipes his outside arm, a move meant to prevent the corner from getting his hands on Jeudy. His start-stop ability leads to Jeudy being wide open. He catches the ball smoothly and picks up additional yardage. Jeudy’s ability to get in and out of breaks often leaves defenders helpless.

Conclusion

Jeudy is one of the most talked-about wide receiver prospects in years, and for good reason. While the analytical side of things isn’t as friendly as Jeudy as they are to other WRs in the class, Jeudy’s tape is amongst the most impressive. His route running and ability to pick up yards after the catch makes him a top tier WR prospect. Right now, Jerry Jeudy is my WR2 in the 2020 class. Locked in as a top 15 pick in the NFL Draft, I would feel comfortable drafting him in the early-mid first round of dynasty rookie drafts. 

What are your thoughts on Jerry Jeudy? Where do you have him ranked in this class? Let me know on Twitter at @DFF_Steven.

Related Posts

Save to list