Best in class? Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy says being first WR taken would ‘mean a lot’
Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy didn’t make any bold declarations of being the best wide receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft class. But there’s no question he’d like to be the first receiver taken off the board in a loaded field.
“It would mean a lot, but I don’t have control of that,” Jeudy said earlier this week as he prepares for the NFL Scouting Combine at Michael Johnson Performance in McKinney.
“It’s all about what a team needs, what a team likes. Everybody wants to be the first receiver taken, so it’d be a good experience. I would love to be the first receiver taken.”
Jeudy is a strong candidate to earn that coveted top spot. Others in the mix such include Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb, Colorado’s Laviska Shenault, Clemson’s Tee Higgins, TCU’s Jalen Reagor, Jeudy’s Alabama teammate Henry Ruggs III, among others.
Jeudy was the nation’s best receiver as a sophomore in 2018, hauling in 68 receptions for 1,315 yards and 14 touchdowns and winning the Biletnikoff Award. He followed that with another stellar season as a junior in 2019 with 1,163 yards receiving and 10 TDs on 77 receptions.
Jeudy is hoping to further cement himself at the top of the class with a solid showing at the Combine. He’d like to run a 4.34-second or faster 40-yard dash, a time that would have ranked in the top five at last year’s Combine.
Outside of his speed, Jeudy feels he’s as good of an all-around receiver as there is in the country.
“I really think I’m a great route runner,” Jeudy said. “I can play anywhere on the field, inside/ outside, and I can do whatever it takes to get open, win 50/50 balls, I can do it all. Run after the catch ... anything you want me to do, I can do it.”
More importantly, Jeudy is taking a business-like approach to his training and workouts before the Combine. That’s something Olympic great Michael Johnson has noticed since Jeudy started working out at his facility.
Some highly-touted players may be prone to slack off somewhat during this process because they know they’re going to be drafted high.
“He’s worked hard from Day 1,” Johnson said. “Since he’s come in here, he’s focused on it. The thing you worry about with a guy of that caliber knowing he’s going to get drafted high, is he just spent the last four years as an amateur athlete. Now he’s a professional athlete, just signed a deal with Nike. He’s no longer restricted.
“A lot of guys in that position would sort of just say, ‘I want to enjoy the fruits of my labor immediately.’ But from Day 1, he’s been locked in on this task ahead of him and treating it truly like a competition — I want to get ready for it and shine.”
The NFL Combine starts later this month at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The NFL Draft is April 23-25 in Las Vegas.
