Bama Central

Wide Receiver Jerry Jeudy Declares for the 2020 NFL Draft

Alabama's man in the slot expected to be the first wide receiver selected in the 2020 NFL Draft

Christopher Walsh

Courtesy Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Jerry Jeudy can forever say that he went out with a bang.

His final catch went for 58 yards. 

His final game he finished with 204 receiving yards to be named the game MVP of the Citrus Bowl against Michigan. 

His final season he became just the second player in program history to post back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons as a receiver. 

Saturday afternoon, the junior ended any remaining speculation about his future and announced that he's giving up his final year of eligibility at the University of Alabama to enter the 2020 NFL Draft. 

Although it's considered a very strong draft for wide receivers, Jeudy is widely considered the top prospect and a solid first-round talent. 

The 2018 winner of the Biletnikoff Award as college football's best receiver (just the second in Alabama history), he was a two-time All-American who tallied 2,742 career receiving yards fourth-best on the Crimson Tide all-time list. 

He had 10 100-yard games, including five this season.

His 26 receiving touchdowns were second to another South Florida product, Amari Cooper (31 from 2012-14).

Jeudy's 85-yard touchdown on the first snap against Michigan on Wednesday was the longest pass completion in Alabama bowl history (68 yards, O.J. Howard against Clemson in the 2017 CFP National Championship). 

He ended up with a career-best 204 yards on six receptions. Jeudy finished the season with 1,164 yards, a year after tallying 1,315 receiving yards. He became the second UA receiver with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and first since DJ Hall in 2006-07.

Jeudy is the third prominent Crimson Tide junior to enter the draft, joining linebacker Terrell Lewis and offensive lineman Jedrick Wills Jr., who announced his decision earlier Saturday.

BamaCentral reported back on Dec. 9 that Jeudy and Wills were virtual locks to depart after the Citrus Bowl. Tua Tagovailoa is set to announce his decision on Monday, while fans are eagerly awaiting word from wide receivers Henry Ruggs III and DeVonta Smith, along with safety Xavier McKinney. 

Published
Christopher Walsh
CHRISTOPHER WALSH

Christopher Walsh is the founder and publisher of BamaCentral, which first published in 2018. He's covered the Crimson Tide since 2004, and is the author of 26 books including Decade of Dominance, 100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Nick Saban vs. College Football, and Bama Dynasty: The Crimson Tide's Road to College Football Immortality. He's an eight-time honoree of Football Writers Association of America awards and three-time winner of the Herby Kirby Memorial Award, the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s highest writing honor for story of the year. In 2022, he was named one of the 50 Legends of the ASWA. Previous beats include the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally from Minnesota and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he currently resides in Tuscaloosa.

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