Jerry Jeudy has the potential to be a star for the Broncos from day one, and the hype around him has been building since videos of his offseason workouts went viral and even garnered the praise of Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson.
Not everyone is aboard the Jeudy hype train though.
In an article projecting the top 10 rookie wideouts in terms of production, NFL Network’s analytics expert, Cynthia Freland, thinks four other rookie receivers are primed to have better seasons than Jeudy.
Freland has CeeDee Lamb, Henry Ruggs III, Michael Pittman Jr. and Justin Jefferson all ahead of Jeudy on her list.
However, in defense of the 15th overall pick, his relatively low ranking on the list seems like it has more to do with uncertainty around the Broncos’ new-look offense than with his talent.
“Projecting a rookie wide receiver who will be working with a second-year pro at quarterback (Drew Lock) on a team that has invested heavily at the running back position presents some challenges,” writes Freland. “Jeudy’s Alabama resume showed alignment versatility. Computer vision route-running tracking shows his route-running and precision to be high. PFF shows Jeudy gained the fifth-most receiving yards on deep targets in the SEC last season (320). It seems that Jeudy’s ability to line up and be used anywhere is what will help him earn in fantasy, as the Broncos’ top receiver, Courtland Sutton, accounted for the highest percentage of the team’s air yards in 2019 (42.9%, per NGS).”
If Lock manages to live up to the offseason hype that has built around him as well, and the Broncos air it out this year more than they have in the past, it sounds like Jeudy could easily surprise and find himself as one of the league’s most productive young receivers.
However, as those questions remain unanswered, projecting Jeudy’s rookie production is a difficult and murky task.
