There was an abundance of subtlety to his route-running style, and how he destroyed press at the line of scrimmage. He impressed NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay and this is just the beginning. Jeudy was a fascinating wideout prospect who projected wonderfully to the modern-day, separation-based NFL. I was worried about his age -- turned 24 near the end of his rookie year -- and how it likely helped him against younger defensive backs in the SEC during his career at Alabama. For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages. Our data provider is having technical issues, live scoring and stats are impacted. He was my No. “I think when Jaylen Waddle gets the ball and he’s in open space, everybody on the sideline starts to pay attention,” Tide linebacker Christian Harris said. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/20). For Waddle, his eight catches against the Tigers were more than what he had in a single-game last season. Plus, with 4.45 speed, he was a threat to score on any play and tracked it pretty well. But Waddle showed his electric potential throughout while returning punts, even when he wasn’t getting the ball thrown his way with such regularity. IOS /Android| Apparel, Justin's Recruiting Bites|Recruit Rankings. He caught eight passes (10 targets) for a team-high 134 receiving yards and two touchdowns. His seven-catch, 151-yard afternoon marked his second triple-digit performance as a favorite Jones downfield option. Waddle's built to be a YAC monster, as we've come to realize the stockier, compact offensive players are best in that area (think Deebo Samuel and A.J. He's only played in three games and has just 11 targets. He totaled five receptions apiece in matchups versus Duke and Arkansas in 2019. (All advanced stats courtesy of TruMedia unless otherwise noted), Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, Covid outbreak at nursing home kills 5, infects 30, The fast food favorites from the year you were born. Waddle is no small presence to replace. Being 5-10 and 182 pounds is compact for a slot wideout, and we've seen Waddle ace his tests on the outside through four games. Watch: Did Nick Saban just blame Jaylen Waddle for getting injured? Ranking Alabama wide receiver prospects from Amari Cooper to Devonta Smith to Jaylen Waddle. And that’s where this league-only schedule adds a twist to the development process. “I kind of can see the defender through my eye so I kind of braced up a little bit,” Waddle said. Much of the burden will fall to Smith, whose 556 yards only barely trail Waddle. Waddle attended Episcopal High School in Bellaire, Texas. The same conversation happened last year when Tua Tagovailoa injured his hip in a blowout win vs. Mississippi State. The 5-foot-10, 182-pounder has been a reliable playmaker his first two seasons. His hands were suspect at times. Jaylen Waddle (born November 25, 1998) is an American football wide receiver and kick returner for the Alabama Crimson Tide. All the chemistry he and Mac Jones had in last year’s Iron Bowl resurfaced against Missouri’s secondary. The only thing holding him back: Four star receivers, one ball. Ridley was a polished route runner as a freshman -- his most productive season with the Crimson Tide -- but beyond his age, his lack of YAC skills worried me. I don't expect a sudden deterioration in talent from Waddle, and right now, he's challenging opt out Ja'Marr Chase for WR1 status in the 2021 draft. He was the human joystick as a freshman and an electrifying return man last season, but Jaylen Waddle opened the 2020 campaign for Alabama football as an absolute baller at wide receiver. I don't think Smith's a high 4.5 guy either. Nick Saban said he thought Bolden “played well” before noting a drop he had on a laser from Bryce Young in the fourth quarter. Subscribe| Get the App! Simply using the word "sudden" is selling Jeudy's movements short. He looks about as fast Ruggs, runs crisp routes like Jeudy, and his ball skills are the same caliber as Cooper and Smith. Show full articles without "Continue Reading" button for {0} hours. Jaylen Waddle took the opening kickoff from Tennessee from out of the end zone and instead of taking the touchback, tried to make something happen, but he suffered a fractured ankle and is lost for the season.