Jaylen Waddle

Pos: WR

School: Alabama

Ht: 5’9″

Wt: 180 lbs

Strengths:

  • Great route runner, can use his feet well against corners of all sizes
  • Smooth and soft hands, rarely puts the ball on the ground
  • Good receiver in and out of breaks, with good body positioning to adjust to passes thrown his way
  • Catch radius is great considering his size; can reach and make spectacular catches in traffic
  • He is a deep threat who has good ball tracking ability
  • Can return punts and kickoffs at a high level

Weaknesses:

  • Obviously is on the smaller end of receivers with a smaller body
  • Should look to improve on his contested catches, and ability to fight off corners to make a catch
  • Injury history that basically cut off his 2020 season.

Overall Assessment:

In many other draft classes, Jaylen Waddle would be the best receiver in the class. The tape tells the full story, as he is a dynamic and productive receiver, who can operate out of the slot or as a boundary receiver. Waddle is able to diminish any concerns of his size as he plays bigger than what he is listed at, meaning he is able to do what receivers who are bigger than are him are able to do. Waddle can make tight catches, however with the separation he creates through his footwork this often never happens. However, being 5’9 and 180 pounds, bigger corners in the NFL may be able to jam him up at the LOS. Waddle was able to show perfect counters to this at the college level, but the transition will be noteworthy. While it is highly unlikely, some teams may shy away from his injury riddled season in 2020, but again, a team would be foolish to pass up on Jaylen Waddle if they are in need of a receiver and Ja’marr Chase is off the board. I do believe that Waddle is WR2 in this class, with Chase being WR1. However there isn’t much of a gap between the two and I believe that Waddle will be a quality talent in the NFL and a high first round pick.

Pro Comp:

Odell Beckham Jr.

Scheme Fit: Can line up in the slot, or as a boundary receiver if needed

Pick Projection: Top 10

Draft Grade: 9.1/10

Team Fits: DET, MIA, NYG

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