2021 NFL Draft: Jaylen Waddle explodes into WR1 contention

Jaylen Waddle was absolutely dominant on Saturday night and could easily end  up being the top wide receiver off of the board in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Most consider LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase to be the top wide receiver prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft. While Chase is great, he has opted-out of the 2020 season and his draft stock may suffer a bit because of it.

Guys like Alabama’s Jaylen Waddle have a chance to impress scouts all season long and gain ground on Chase. After one game, Waddle may have already taken over that top spot from Chase.

Waddle was absolutely fantastic in Alabama’s 38-19 win over Missouri on Saturday night. He was Alabama’s most dynamic offensive weapon, piling up 134 yards and two touchdowns on eight receptions. Missouri did not allow Waddle to make an impact on special teams, kicking away from him time and time again, but he certainly make his mark on the game offensively.

He showed off his obvious speed and quickness, easily separating from the defense on a consistent basis, as you can see in the video below. Waddle also showed off his incredible natural playmaking ability with the ball in his hands and an improved ability to make plays in contested-catch situations.

With Alabama losing so much offensive talent from last season, Waddle will be counted on to make a more consistent offensive impact this season. He will be counted on as the number one option on the offense on some weeks, giving him ample opportunity to improve his 2021 NFL Draft stock.

We already knew that Waddle was an impressive playmaker with big-time upside, but his first game as a bigger part of the offense shows how massive his ceiling actually is. Make no mistake about it, Waddle is an incredibly talented offensive playmaker who is going to be one of the best players in college football this season. With that kind of year, he could easily replace Chase as the top wide receiver in the 2021 NFL Draft class.