STRENGTHS
Jalen is a very smart, fast, quick, strong, acrobatic catching receiver. His ability to explode quickly is dramatic and his ability to catch the ball in any situation is dramatic also. You don’t have to worry about separation with this kid because he knows HOW to run routes by changing gears and using his quickness and NOT just relying on his speed. He has good size and is tough and his run after the catch skills is excellent because of his vision and balance and lateral explosion. He has excellent hands, using strength and force when it is needed and softness when it is called upon like an Artist who creates sculptures. Jalen can be used inside because of his quickness and on the outside because of his speed. He will be able to help the team that selects him the day after the draft at any receiver position because of his route running skills, speed, quickness, and overall high football intelligence to run routes by changing gears to get open.
CONCERNS
Some teams will downgrade Jalen for one reason and one reason only, his size, it’s only average. Not me, I look strictly at talent to compete because as a profiler and not an analyst, I know that talent to compete, comes in all sizes and that size is not a deciding factor unless that person doesn’t have the talent.
BOTTOM LINE 1.61
To me, size is a factor but it’s not the deciding factor, not to select a player in the draft if, they have the talent. Jalen has the talent to compete so suggesting that his “only average size”, should be a reason to downgrade him perplexes me. Jalen might be the smartest receiver in this draft, or maybe just one of the smartest receivers. Jalen might be the fastest receiver in this draft, or maybe one of the fastest. He also could be the most acrobatic receiver, or maybe just one of those also. Or maybe Jalen is one of the only receivers in this draft who can run routes and gets separation better than any other receiver in this draft. If you watch the film and agree with what I just wrote and then you say but…he is not big enough; all I can do is give you an NCIS slap, to the back of your head. Jalen has first-round talent to impact right away on my talent board. If you’re a team that doesn’t value receivers high in this draft and waits to select Jalen, all I can say is good luck if you’re looking for a receiver who can impact right away and help turn your passing game from nothing to something. As far as I’m concerned Jalen is the Donatello of this group of very talented wide receivers.
