2020 NFL Draft: CeeDee Lamb could take WR1 spot from Jerry Jeudy
CeeDee Lamb may be ready to take over as the top wide receiver in the 2020 NFL draft class.
Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy has long been considered to be the top player at his position in the 2020 NFL Draft. It is easy to fall in love with Jeudy’s game. He is an incredibly quick and smooth player who runs incredible routes and shows impressive elusiveness in the open field. Jeudy a major weapon at all three levels and has obvious upside at the next level.
Jeudy has continued to play well this season, but he has had some struggles with drops that are concerning. He was once considered to essentially be a perfect 2020 NFL draft prospect, but his drops have brought up some concerns. We should still consider Jeudy as one of the premier prospects in the class, but he may no longer be WR1. Oklahoma receiver CeeDee Lamb has at least put himself in that conversation.
Lamb has been absolutely incredible this season, piling up more receiving yards (999 to 933) and touchdowns (14 to 9) than Jeudy on far fewer receptions (46 to 66). Simply put, Lamb has been one of the most productive and explosive players in college football this season and is the favorite to take home the Biletnikoff Award for the best wide receiver in college football.
Lamb is not going to set any record with his speed, but he is fast enough to make an impact on the outside. He uses his quickness and smooth route running to create space, but it is not like he needs a lot of room to make an impact on the field.
CeeDee Lamb is the best contested-catch receiver in the 2020 NFL draft class. He shows tremendous natural body control in the air and concentrates on the ball extremely well. Lamb does a great job of tracking the ball in the air and positions himself well to consistently win jump ball situations.
Once the ball is in his hands, Lamb is a dynamic playmaker who is extremely difficult to keep in check. He changes directions extremely quickly and shows impressive contact balance with the ball in his hands. Lamb is a naturally elusive player who is consistently difficult to bring down in space.
His natural ball skills give him the ability to make an impact in the deep passing game, while his run after catch ability makes him a weapon on short passes. Simply put, Lamb is a threat to make a play from anywhere on the field.
Putting Lamb in the WR1 conversation is not a knock on Jeudy. These are two incredibly talented players who should both be considered potential top-ten picks. However, this battle for WR1 is not as obvious as it once was. CeeDee Lamb has played himself into the conversation to be the top overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.