NFL Draft: South Alabama WR Jalen Tolbert will be a Steal

Can the small school wide receiver be a gem in the NFL Draft? Read more to see how he can fit in the NFL and on your dynasty fantasy football teams.

Casey Birch | Dec 7, 2021

Dynasty Draft Gems: Jalen Tolbert Will Be a Steal!

Can the small school wide receiver be a gem in the NFL Draft? Read more to see how he can fit in the NFL and on your dynasty fantasy football teams

It's unusual for a prospect from South Alabama to have such significant, early draft buzz. The saying goes, "scout the player, not the helmet," but year after year, the NFL prioritizes rookie prospects from top programs such as Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, and others. In this case, the excitement is more than warranted. Jalen Tolbert has been a star in the making since he stepped on campus back in 2017.

To understand the player he is now and what he can offer NFL and dynasty fantasy football teams, let's start by exploring Tolbert's background. Born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, Tolbert attended and played football, baseball, and basketball at McGill-Toolen high school. During Tolbert's tenure, the school played in the 7A division of Alabama football, the highest tier in the state. Tolbert started as a senior and totaled 37 catches for 696 yards and nine touchdowns. Those numbers pale compared to most high-profile receiving prospects, but the 18.8 yards-per-catch statistic highlighted Tolbert's explosive potential. The limited accumulation of stats resulted in Tolbert being only a two-star prospect (per247 Sports Composite). Despite the low rating, he was extended offers by Michigan State and Vanderbilt, and Tolbert spurned those opportunities to stay close to home and play for the South Alabama Jaguars. While he'll never know what could have been at those programs, the choice to join a small program earned him significant opportunities to showcase his talent during his college career.

NFL Draft: Wide Receiver Senior Bowl Invitee Declares for NFL Draft

After a successful senior high school season, Tolbert hoped to make an immediate impact as a true freshman. Unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury that required surgery, putting an end to his season before it could even begin. Still regaining his form in 2018, Tolbert was only able to suit up for five games, recording five catches for 60 yards. In 2019, Tolbert finally put the injuries behind him, and it was wheels-up from that point on. He proceeded to rack up a combined 173 receptions for 3080 yards and 22 touchdowns over the next three seasons. Keeping a close pace with his high school numbers, Tolbert maintained an impressive 17.8 yards-per-catch. In 2021, Tolbert has a mind-blowing 47.9% receiving yards market share for his team. His production profile is the type that NFL organizations always covet.

Aside from production, successful NFL receivers have other prerequisites that differentiate them from great college receivers. Physical metrics are often a significant component of the evaluation process. Tolbert is close to being the ideal size for a receiver at 6' 3", 195 lbs. He could stand to gain a few pounds, but most receivers bulk up before the draft. Tolbert doesn't have a verified 40-yard-dash time, but his game film would suggest that somewhere in the 4.4s is a reasonable projection. If his metric profile in its totality meets or exceeds expectations, Tolbert should be anywhere from a day-two to early day-three selection.

The final component that could boost his draft stock higher would be a successful showing at the Reese's Senior Bowl. Tolbert has already accepted his invitation. The Senior Bowl often has a significant impact on the NFL's view of a player. It creates a stage where the best seniors from all conferences can come together and compete against other elite talents. Actual NFL coaches are selected to lead the teams; those coaches get a firsthand perspective of the players' talent and work ethic in practice. The Senior Bowl is hosted in Mobile at Hancock Whitney Stadium, the home field for the South Alabama Jaguars, so Tolbert should feel right at home. Expect him to put on a spectacular final collegiate show for his supporters.

High school pedigree, college resume, and metric profile will play significant roles in determining where Tolbert goes in the 2022 NFL Draft. That said, his draft capital isn't the only thing to consider from a fantasy football perspective. What role is Tolbert going to occupy in the league? Framing reasonable expectations for a player is the first step towards avoiding disappointment in fantasy. Let's break down Tolbert's game and see where he can best fit in a professional offense. Given his size and explosive ability, South Alabama moved Tolbert all over the formation, lining him up outside, inside, and often sending him in motion. That versatility translates into comfortability with a wide variety of routes. While Tolbert should continue to develop his route-running technique at the next level, his positional flexibility should be attractive to many teams. Tolbert continually finds ways to get open, whether facing press, man, or zone coverage. The competition level at South Alabama was low, but his ability to make contested catches will help as he transitions to playing against more talented defensive backs. He was able to take the top off of defenses at the college level but will likely use that explosiveness to dominate the middle of the field at the NFL level. Player comparisons are always a challenge, but Tolbert currently profiles a lighter, less refined version of Tyler Boyd. That role would afford Tolbert a lucrative spot on most dynasty fantasy football rosters, especially in a point-per-reception (PPR) format. He projects as a late-second or third-round rookie pick for most 12-team rookie drafts. Draft capital and landing spot will affect that projection, but drafting a player with Tolbert's skill set and production profile at that point would be a steal.

For further in-depth analysis on Jalen Tolbert, check out his scouting report here: CLICK HERE