Jaylen Waddle's NFL Draft Stock Rising According to Jeremiah

Jaylen Waddle’s draft stock is on the rise according to NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah. The Alabama wide receiver moved up to No. 6 from No. 8 in Jeremiah’s latest player rankings for the 2021 NFL Draft. Waddle is the second ranked WR behind LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase.

Waddle was limited in 2020 because of an ankle injury. In four regular season games, Waddle hauled in 28 receptions for 591 yards and four touchdowns. In each of those four games, he recorded at least five receptions and 120 receiving yards. In a limited role for the national championship game, Waddle caught three passes for 34 yards.

“Waddle is a slightly undersized receiver with extraordinary speed and playmaking ability," Jeremiah said on his latest Top-50 column of the NFL Draft's prospects. "He has the ability to line up inside or outside. His acceleration in his release is elite. He destroys the cushions he receives from defenders in a hiccup and can find a second and third gear once the ball is in the air."

Waddle owns three of the five longest scoring receptions in Alabama history.

As a freshman in 2018, Waddle caught 45 passes for 848 yards and seven touchdowns. He would earn Freshman All-American and SEC Freshman of the Year honors.

In 2019, Waddle caught 33 passes for 560 yards, six touchdowns and led the nation in punt return average at 24.4 yards per return as a punt returner and earned First-Team All-American and SEC Special Teams Player of the Year honors.

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According to some reports, the Miami Dolphins could be looking to take Waddle at No. 3 and pair him with former Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa.

The Philadelphia Eagles with the 6th overall pick in the NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions with the 7th and the New York Giants at 11th are also potential landing spots.

Jeremiah also wrote, “Waddle isn't quite as strong as Tyreek Hill but he's capable of having the same impact in the NFL."

Waddle and DeVonta Smith could potentially be top-10 picks in this year's NFL draft. It would be the second year in a row that Alabama had two WR's drafted in the top-15, a feat never seen in the NFL draft in its history.