Unless there is a complete collapse at the NFL Scouting Combine or during the pre-draft process, it is widely accepted that Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy and Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb will be the first two wide receivers taken in April’s NFL Draft.
Both are expected to go in the first round and both had phenomenal college careers.
Jeudy dominated with the Crimson Tide and finished with 159 catches for 2,742 yards and 26 touchdowns in his college career, the numbers even more impressive considering he was a part of arguably one of the best receiving corps in recent memory.
Lamb finished his three-year career with 173 receptions for 3,292 yards and 32 touchdowns. While Oklahoma’s receiving corps was not nearly as good as Alabama’s, especially this past season, that’s even more impressive that Lamb put up those numbers as every defense tried to scheme against him.
NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said on a conference call last week that he gave Lamb the edge over Jeudy, but it was a close call.
“When you look at who I think is the best receiver in the draft, CeeDee Lamb, he's just so tough,” Jeremiah said. “You can play him inside/outside. He wins 50-50 balls. He breaks a zillion tackles. (Pro Football Focus) does a great job on that stuff, those types of stats, like forced tackles, broken tackles, he is way, way up there in those numbers. What he gives you after the catch is just outstanding. He's a really good football player."
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ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper, Jr., said Jeudy and Lamb have the same grade heading into the combine but that he also gives Lamb a slight edge with the two receivers going back-to-back at Nos. 11 and 12, respectively in his latest mock draft.
“(Lamb is) vying with Jerry Jeudy from Alabama to see who’s the first receiver taken,” Kiper said. … “(Lamb) was so versatile. If you split his receptions, you’d say 50 percent were at the slot spot, 50 percent were outside. Whether it’s slot or outside he was pretty consistent both ways in terms of his overall production.
"CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy both have the same grade. Lamb is a little more versatile in that he could be a slot guy or be an outside wide receiver threat. Jeudy is a really good route runner but you have to remember he had a lot of help there at Alabama.”
FARRELL'S TAKE
Heading into the combine later this week, we ask Rivals National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell whether he prefers Jeudy or Lamb as the No. 1 receiver on his board and why he’d take the Alabama or Oklahoma receiver first.
"This is a very tough one as they are 1A and 1B essentially, but I’d take Jeudy first and then Lamb. The reason? Route running. Jeudy is an elite route runner and that allows him to get consistent separation and make things easy for his quarterback. While he might not be as much of a catch-and-run threat as Lamb, he’s a better downfield threat overall and is a surgeon when it comes to setting up opponents.
"I’ll take a great route runner over a great athlete any day of the week and while both run excellent routes, Jeudy is elite in that category."
