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

South Alabama wide receiver Jalen Tolbert declares his intent to enter the 2022 NFL Draft. What does that mean and how does his draft stock look? Click here to read more.

Robert Gregson | Dec 1, 2021

South Alabama Wide Receiver Jalen Tolbert Declares for the 2022 NFL Draft

South Alabama wide receiver Jalen Tolbert declares his intent to enter the 2022 NFL Draft. What does that mean and how does his draft stock look? Click here to read more

Defensive coordinators throughout the Sunbelt conference are breathing a sigh of relief as South Alabama Wideout Jalen Tolbert has decided to take his talents to the next level and declare for the 2022 NFL draft. The Alabama native first caught the eyes of evaluators last season when he put up impressive numbers, including 64 receptions for 1,085 yards and eight scores. Well, Tolbert only doubled down on his 2020 campaign with a stellar 82 receptions, 1474 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns this past 2021 college football season.

CLICK HERE TO READ JALEN TOLBERT'S SCOUTING REPORT

Between the gaudy statistics and impressive frame Tolbert carries at 6'3" 190-pounds, it is easy to see why he is garnering so much buzz around his 2022 NFL Draft stock. Perhaps his most impressive traits come from the nuance in his game when watching his film. Tolbert is not an overly athletic playmaker but plays the position with refinement and balance, not seen often at the college level. On tape, he shows an ability to stem his routes to find the holes in zone coverage yet stack corners when faced with man to man. Tolbert also has a great understanding of body position and hand usage. He often wins by boxing out defenders with his frame and using his hands to swipe at pressed corners and pluck the ball out of the air.

JALEN TOLBERT ARE YOU KIDDING#CFB

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— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 21, 2021

Being that Tolbert played in a group of five conferences, games against SEC schools like Tennessee are paramount in his 2022 NFL Draft evaluation process. Tolbert did not disappoint as he went for seven receptions, 143 yards, and a touchdown in his November 20th, 2021, meeting with Tennessee. Tolbert was a handful for the Vols and scored on a 68-yard reception where he showed the ability to win with positioning and then accelerate to green grass and finish in the endzone.

With the announcement that Tolbert is headed to the Senior Bowl in his hometown of Mobile, Alabama, Tolbert will look to increase his stock and impress the teams on hand. If he can continue to diversify and refine his route running and test even decently in speed and agility drills, he has the chance to be amongst the top wideouts off the board come spring, even in a deep NFL Draft class of wide receivers.

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