Both Alabama wide receivers Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy could be in play for the Jets at 11.
Their college coach, Nick Saban, had some thoughts on the pair, during a recent appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
Let’s start with Jeudy.
“I think Jerry Jeudy is a great all-around receiver,” Saban said. “Great route runner. Can really drop his weight and accelerate out of a break. I always compare him to Keenan McCardell who we had at the Cleveland Browns when I was there, except Jerry Jeudy is fast and Keenan McCardell wasn’t fast-fast. So Jerry can play in or out, but he’s really good in the slot. He’s a great option route runner. He’s very smart and he’s got great hands and he’s got enough speed to get on top of you as well.”
Saban shot down reports that Jeudy has a knee issue.
“Well first of all Jerry Jeudy has nothing wrong with him,” Saban said. “Absolutely nothing. He never missed practice here. He played in every game. Played in a bowl game when he didn’t have to play. Practiced every day for the bowl game. So that’s completely false.”
As for Ruggs, Saban thinks he will be “hard to cover” on the NFL level.
“Henry (has) really, really has good hands,” Saban said. “You’re talking about a tough, really great competitor. Great special teams player. Great speed. Maybe not be quite as polished if you put him in the slot, but as an outside receiver, he’s a speed receiver. Any kind of straight line route you run with him he’s going to be really hard to cover.”
Saban loves Ruggs’ work ethic.
“I just think his mentality as a player is something people have to like,” Saban said. “This guy would run 700 routes in practice, then be the first guy up to be a gunner when the punt team came up. Just a completely different mentality, especially when you’re talking about wide receiver. Very tough, good blocker. This guy is a very explosive player.”
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