The Denver Broncos entered the offseason in desperate need of another wide receiver to put alongside of Courtland Sutton. They didn't get one in free agency, but they may have landed a stud in the NFL Draft. With the 15th overall pick on Thursday night, the Broncos took Alabama's Jerry Jeudy, a guy who is considered by many to be the most well-rounded receiver in this draft class.
Jeudy was the second wide out off the board, as his Crimson Tide teammate, speedster Henry Ruggs III, went to the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 12.
But while Jeudy may not have the gamebreaking speed of Ruggs, he is the more NFL-ready prospect and was far more productive on the collegiate level.
The 21-year-old is coming off of a junior campaign in which he hauled in 77 receptions for 1,163 yards and 10 touchdowns, and the amazing this is, that wasn't even Jeudy's best year at Alabama.
His most productive season came in 2018, when he caught 68 passes for 1,315 yards and 14 scores.
At 6-foot-1, 193 pounds, Jerry Jeudy has decent size, and he has very solid speed (he ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine). He is also a fantastic route-runner and has good hands.
Basically, Jeudy has everything you could possibly want in a top NFL receiver. Whether or not he puts it all together remains to be seen, but there is no question that Jeudy has significant potential.
The big thing here is providing young quarterback Drew Lock with another reliable target.
Lock made five starts during his rookie campaign this past season and was impressive, but outside of Sutton and tight end Noah Fant, he didn't have much to work with. As a matter of fact, Denver didn't even really have a No. 2 receiver.
But Jerry Jeudy could (and should) be that guy for Lock and the Broncos.
Suddenly, Denver has an exciting offense that also includes running backs Phillip Lindsay and Melvin Gordon. The Broncos do need to repair their ailing offensive line, but that is something they probably will address throughout the remainder of the draft.
Lock is still basically a rookie. He missed most of 2019 due to a thumb injury he suffered during the preseason, so he has a lot to prove entering 2020. That's why it's imperative to supply him with as much appropriate talent as possible right off the bat.
Again, Jeudy hasn't played a down of professional football yet, so no one can really say for sure what type of player he is going to become. But it's hard not to look at his ceiling and think he could be something special.
Jerry Jeudy is very versatile, possessing the ability to play both inside and outside. He will also take a load of pressure off of Sutton, who likely would have seen endless double teams over the top had the Broncos not gone receiver in the first round.
Lock can now grow with the rest of his young and talented teammates on offense, and it's a journey that will certainly be interesting to watch.
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