New York Giants Film Room: 2021 draft target Jaylen Waddle

The Giants could add Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to their slate of offensive weapons and may do so at No. 11 overall.

Jaylen Waddle Info

• WR, Alabama
• 5-foot-10, 183 pounds
• SEC Freshman of the Year in 2018
• SEC Special Teams Player of the Year in 2019
• First-team All-SEC in 2019
• Second-team All-SEC in 2020
• 2018 stats (15 games): 45 receptions, 848 yards, seven touchdowns (3.0 receptions per game, 56.5 yards per game); 16 punt returns, 233 yards (14.6 yards per punt return), one touchdown
• 2019 stats (13 games): 33 receptions, 560 yards, six touchdowns (2.5 receptions per game, 43.1 yards per game); 20 punt returns, 487 yards (24.4 yards per punt return), one touchdown; five kick returns, 175 yards (35.0 yards per kick return), one touchdown
• 2020 stats (six games): 28 receptions, 591 yards, four touchdowns (4.7 receptions per game, 98.5 yards per game)
• Missed a great portion of the 2020 season due to a broken right ankle suffered in October.

How Jaylen Waddle would benefit the Giants

Jaylen Waddle would be a talented slot receiver and another offensive weapon for Daniel Jones, who has no more excuses entering year three given the weapons he already possesses — Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, Evan Engram, Kyle Rudolph, and Saquon Barkley.

Waddle is additionally multi-faceted and could be a return specialist for the Giants as well.

Jaylen Waddle averaged 24.7 yards per punt return in 2019.

Highest in a season since 2014. pic.twitter.com/YEmXDZWv4L

— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) March 25, 2021

What would give the Giants an advantage is Waddle’s pure speed in an era in which this league is becoming faster and faster every single year. His ability to be a motion man and run the football on sweep-type plays would be great for offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, who must increase his overall creativity as a play-caller if he wants his unit to compete at a high level.

Film room notes

Waddle and Alabama’s October 2020 win over Georgia (six receptions, 161 yards, one touchdown; one kick return, 22 yards)

Waddle sets up his blockers real well on the screen pass on this first play and uses his superb vision to find space and gain extra yardage. The burst leads to a first down for the Crimson Tide.

Waddle proves he’s a legitimate deep threat in this clip. On a ball that’s a little underthrown by Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, Waddle is athletic enough to reel it in over the defender, leaping back to make the grab.

And lastly, Waddle shows off his speed, vision, and ability to locate the ball in mid-air, which leads to a 90-yard touchdown reception.

Waddle and Alabama’s September 2020 win over Missouri (eight receptions, 134 yards, two touchdowns)

Yes, Waddle can make the tough catches in traffic, like he does here in between two defenders.

The quick acceleration allows Waddle to run a great route to space prior to a touchdown on this above play.

Waddle fakes the end-around quickly into the swing route, and from there, his acceleration with the football is just too effective for the Missouri defense. He additionally takes a good angle towards the end zone.

Waddle is always looking for space so his speed can then take over — he does so in this clip.

The Bama wideout’s deep-ball skills are on display again here; he makes a great over-the-shoulder catch over a pair of defenders for the touchdown on a great ball thrown by Mac Jones.

Waddle’s skill set is impressive — the athleticism, hands, vision, and speed all coming together makes him a first-round talent the Giants could add to their slate of offensive weapons for Daniel Jones.

The lack of size, however, is a concern, and injuries may play a role at some point during his NFL career.