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Home / frontnfl / 2021 NFL Draft Scouting Report: WR Jaylen Waddle
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2021 NFL Draft Scouting Report: WR Jaylen Waddle


Positional ranking: #3

Big Board ranking: #13

 

Overview

Position: WR

College: Alabama

Class: Junior

Age: 22

 

Measurables

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 182 lbs.

Arm length: N/A

Hand size: N/A

 

Athletic testing

40-yard dash: N/A

Vertical jump: N/A

Broad jump: N/A

Bench press: N/A

3-cone drill: N/A

Short shuttle: N/A

 

Strengths

Track-star speed. Electric with the ball in his hands. Top-end acceleration and explosiveness. Threat to score from anywhere on the field. Simply runs past defenders and destroys angles in space. Elite quickness and elusiveness. Deadly in the screen game and on underneath plays. Tracks the deep ball at a very high level. Great ability to leap and shield defenders on downfield passes in contested coverage. Second gear as a route runner to set up a defender and separate. Too fast to play man coverage against on crossing routes. Reliable target over the middle. Very good hands and unaffected by traffic. Too fast for slot cornerbacks to stick with on wheel routes. Effective on double moves both out wide and in the slot. Has experience lining up all over the field. Needs to be accounted for on every play. Dangerous kick returner and punt returner. Glides in the open field. Quality run blocker. Very tough. Returned for national championship at less than 100% with an ankle injury.

 

Weaknesses

A bit rigid as a route runner based on skillset. Seems to play faster with the ball than he does running routes. Mostly an on-the-ground receiver despite athleticism. Not a high-pointer. Not challenged by press coverage in the slot on a loaded offense.

 

NFL comparison

Santana Moss

 

Conclusion

Overall, Waddle is a big-play receiver with blazing speed, acceleration, and quickness to make him a touchdown threat whenever the ball is in his hands, including as a returner. Especially if he develops more of an intermediate game, Waddle can be one of the NFL’s top offensive weapons.

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