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CeeDee Lamb | Oklahoma
Size: 6’2″, 189 lbs.
Lamb has prototypical length for an NFL receiver. He’s long and lean, but is much stronger and more physical than his weight would suggest. With a fantastic catch radius, he’s what you want physically out of your number one receiver.
Speed: This category will be much easier to answer following the combine, but my guess is he’ll run in the 4.4 – 4.5 range. He’s unbelievably quick and has a very good get-off but there will be receivers with a faster top end speed in the draft. He had no trouble getting behind the defense at Oklahoma, but realistically he had no trouble doing much of anything this season.
YAC and route running: Lamb has unbelievable yards after the catch ability. He’s got a fantastic feel for getting to the open space and can exploit holes in the blink of an eye. He got a little too fancy at times in college, but that’s really just being nit-picky. As a route runner, he is polished. Due to his length, he can take longer to gear down than smaller receivers, but overall he’s a very accomplished route runner. His get-off is solid and he has a lot of tricks in his bag. Because of his big play ability, he wasn’t pressed all that much, but has the athletic profile to suggest breaking press won’t be much of an issue.
Scheme fit: In a perfect world, Lamb would be in an Eagles jersey in September. He’s exactly the type of long receiver with vertical speed and versatility that the Eagles want for their offence. He most certainly won’t be available when Philadelphia picks at 21 and it’s fair to question if the Eagles have enough capital to move up to a position to steal him. This is probably a wasted write up, but we here at PSN are nothing if not thorough.
Jerry Jeudy | Alabama
Size: 6’1″, 192 lbs.
He’s not quite the physical specimen that Lamb is, but Jeudy is an athlete in his own right. His height, length and weight are all middling, but that hasn’t stopped him from being a top recruit coming out of high school, nor college. However, play strength will be a concern for some scouts. His ability to track the football in the air and his solid hands somewhat makes up for the lack of length.
Speed: Again, I wish I could include 40-times. Jeudy himself predicted a 4.34, which would be a very good time for him. His game is more predicated on lateral quickness than vertical speed, but he’s simply explosive and has definitely got the ability to outrun defenders. He’s also got an innate knack for separating from defenders, so it’s difficult to really tell just how fast he can be. A mid to low 4.3 40-time could vault him quite high in the draft.
YAC and route running: This is where Jeudy shines. He’s probably the best route runner coming out of college in recent memory. He can run anything in the playbook. It’s not just physical ability either. Jeudy’s best asset may come between his ears. He’s got an incredible feel for space and a habit of turning defenders inside out with fantastic footwork and twitchy bursts. That all lends to his ability after the catch, where he’s among the most dangerous in the class.
Scheme fit: An interesting proposition. His talent will make him a good fit for almost any team that selects him. However, he ran most of his routes out of the slot at Alabama and that will likely be where he does the most damage in the NFL. On one hand, Jeudy could be everything the Eagles hoped Agholor would be.
On the other, the offense has struggled to manufacture YAC opportunities for their best creators outside of quick screens and crossing routes. He’s a possession slot receiver with some outside versatility that would demand attention both from the defense and from the offensive scheme. Obviously his ability to take any pass to the house is tantalizing and Philadelphia could use that kind of threat out of their slot receiver. I actually like the fit, but it would require some creativity out of Doug. Maybe that’s exactly what the Eagles need.
Henry Ruggs III | Alabama
Size: 6’0″, 190 lbs.
Obviously size isn’t Ruggs’ main trait. Still, he’s not as tiny as other speedsters we’ve seen like last year’s first round pick Marquise Brown. He’s shown he can take a lick and keep on ticking, but NFL hits can be a different monster. His catch radius is about what you expect, but because of his speed he’s rarely in contested catch situations. His play strength and competitive toughness are surprising for a guy his size.
Speed: He ran a 4.25 at his Junior Pro Day last season. I’m not sure if it’s physically possible for him to improve that time, but he’s definitely a candidate to put the pressure on John Ross for the record. Ruggs is lighting in a bottle. He’ll command a safety over top on every play and can turn quick passes into huge gains just by out-running everyone.
YAC and route running: Speed kills and Ruggs is no exception. He’s not quite as wiggly as some of his counterparts, but will make you miss all the same. His vertical releases and speed in and out of his breaks are impressive, but his route tree isn’t full. Forcing him to run diverse or complex routes would be misusing his skill set anyways. He’s great at what he does — no need to complicate matters.
Scheme fit: DeSean Jackson part two. For his rookie season, the Eagles may have to find a way to get him and DeSean on the field at the same time, but it’s only a matter of time before Jackson is surpassed by another speedster. Does Pederson follow his mentor Andy Reid and infuse as much speed as possible at the wide receiver position? It worked for the Chiefs.
The biggest question with Ruggs is will the Eagles have to move up for him. If he runs a 4.25, the answer is probably yes. NFL teams covet generational speed and this year will be no exception. From picks 10-20 there are plenty of teams that could use a deep threat. Unless there are lots of moves for a quarterback or Ruggs has a bad combine, I don’t think he’ll be around at 21.
Continued on the pages below.
