Jerry Jeudy might know that when the Denver Broncos traded Emmanuel Sanders midway through the season, it seemed they were giving up on their receiver corps and slowly building for the future.
The breakout of Cortland Sutton in the second half of the season sped up that process, as the Denver rookie rightfully earned a Pro Bowl bid after a phenomenal sophomore season where he accumulated 1,112 yards and established himself as a legit No. 1 receiver.
While the Broncos' receiving core was towards the middle of the pack as expected before the season started, with the potential of Sutton, adding another piece could make them a top-10 receiving unit, drastically helping the development of young quarterback Drew Lock.
While Mile High City doesn't have a lot of cap space to play around with, this year's draft class is extremely deep with talented receivers who can make an instant impact with the Broncos.
Jerry Jeudy of Alabama could be a perfect fit in Denver, who is drawing comparisons to former Washington professional football team standout Santonio Holmes for his pristine route running, consistent quickness and knack for getting open in the red zone.
Jeudy is the latest of an Alabama receiving regime that is making their presence felt in the NFL, with Julio Jones, Calvin Ridlay and Amari Cooper being a constant problem for defensive coordinators.
Like Cooper, Jeudy won the esteemed Fred Biletnikoff Award winner after a strong sophomore season in 2018 where he earned consensus first-team All-American notice and a first-team All-SEC selection. In their respective sophomore seasons, Jeudy outdid Cooper, racking up 68 catches for 1,315 yards and 14 touchdowns in an offense with more than a few mouths to feed.
Jeudy's numbers stayed relatively the same in his junior season despite playing with an injured quarterback (77 catches, 1,163 yards, 10 touchdowns) He was still able to repeat as a first-team all-conference honoring, proving his dominance in the toughest conference in college football.
Josh Edwards of CBS Sports loves the fit of Jeudy in Denver, as he can complement Sutton and give the Broncos a rather underrated passing attack.
Jeudy is a technician at the position with above average speed. He would be able to create opportunities for Sutton and vice versa. Realistically, the Alabama pass catcher would not be available in a normal draft without so many elite quarterback, offensive tackle and defensive options.
Edwards hits the nail on the head there. If this was an avearge year with less talent towards the top of the draft, Jeudy would be scooped up with a top-5 pick like Sammy Watkins was in 2014. The upside that he has alone would normally put him at the top of mock drafts.
While the Broncos have more drastic needs in the offensive line and in the secondary, they would be passing up on a potential generational talent with the No. 15 pick.
Quarterback Drew Lock remains to be a work in progress in the pocket, but making his top two options Sutton and Jeudy could speed up his development at a pace any Bronco fan would be satisfied with.
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