Meet Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, and Henry Ruggs III

It's no secret that the 2020 NFL draft class features one of the most talented groups of receivers in recent memory. In fact, I’ve already written about one of the most underrated receivers in this class, Denzel Mims. The top of this year’s receiver class is highlighted by Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, and Henry Ruggs III, who are all flat out spectacular prospects. I honestly don’t think we’ll ever see a draft with a trio of receivers who are as talented and as different as these guys are. Each of these receivers is special in their own cool way and It’s so much fun watching film of these guys and trying to decide who you think is better or who’d be a better fit for different teams. Here's what makes each of these guys elite prospects.

Jerry Jeudy

I absolutely love Jerry Jeudy and could watch his film all day. I would describe him as the ultimate technician because he has mastered the technical parts of the wide receiver position. He may not be as athletic or as physical as Lamb or Ruggs, but he’s easily the best route runner in this class. The way Jeudy uses his arms and hips to get open is absolutely beautiful.

There’s one play against LSU where Jeudy really shows off his route running ability.

Kary Vincent Jr. (#5 for LSU) is playing off Jerry Jeudy (#4 for Alabama) as a squat defender so Jeudy takes a step inside forcing him to turn and run to the left. Then Jeudy dips, takes two quick steps, and cuts to the left getting himself wide open. It feels like Jeudy always finds a way to get wide open and that’s one of the reasons why I like him so much.

An underrated part of Jeudy’s game is his ability to make plays after the catch. He does a really good job of stopping on a dime and changing directions to make tacklers miss and gain more YAC (yards after the catch).

Jeudy projects as a slot receiver at the next level, but that shouldn’t scare teams from taking him first among all the receivers. He isn’t an outside receiver who will burn corners on go routes, but he still has big-play potential even when playing inside.

The one issue I have with Jeudy is his hands. There were a few plays on film where he dropped some passes that should’ve been caught. His hands aren’t a big enough issue to not draft him, but these missed opportunities are a little frustrating.

CeeDee Lamb

This dude is a freak of nature. I like to compare the wide receiver position to ice cream flavors. There are a ton of ice cream flavors and some people prefer some flavors over others. I like chocolate but perhaps you prefer vanilla or strawberry. Sometimes you get a mix of flavors like Neapolitan which gives you these three flavors all in one. It’s the same with wide receivers. There are different kinds of wide receivers. Some have elite speed and some are very good route runners. Others are physical and can bail out their quarterback by making contested catches. No matter who is seen as the better receiver, it all depends on what kind of receiver a team is looking for. CeeDee Lamb is the Neapolitan ice cream of this year’s wide receiver class.

Lamb is a rare combination of route running, speed, and physicality. Although he doesn’t have loose hips and quick feet like Jerry Jeudy, he’s still a very good route runner.

Darnay Holmes (#1 for UCLA) is playing off CeeDee Lamb (#2 for Oklahoma) so Lamb uses a speed release and bursts off the line of scrimmage at full speed. Lamb takes a step like he’s going outside but he goes inside Holmes which turns the UCLA corner around with his back to Lamb. Now that Holmes is turned with his back facing the wideout, Lamb stops on a dime and cuts to the outside, getting wide open for a big gain.

What separates CeeDee Lamb from the other receivers is his ability to make contested catches. With his wide catch radius. Just take a look at this play against Iowa State.

Lamb is at his best with the ball in his hands. His ability to make plays after the catch is second to none. For a guy as physical as he is, it’s incredible how smooth and elusive he is in the open field.

The only thing Lamb is missing which would possibly make him one of the best receiver prospects ever is elite speed. He ran a 4.51 forty yard dash at the combine, but just imagine if he ran a low 4.4 or a sub 4.4 forty.

Receivers who have multiple elite qualities like Julio Jones and Deandre Hopkins are the best of the best. CeeDee Lamb is one of these types of receivers which is why he might be the best receiver in the 2020 NFL draft.

Henry Ruggs III

The first word that comes to mind when I hear Henry Ruggs’ name is speed. There are very few people on this planet that are as fast as Ruggs. His 4.27 forty yard dash speaks for itself. No play shows off his speed quite like this one against South Carolina

Wow! That is freaking unreal.

Ruggs’ speed is going to make him one of the most feared players on the field in every game he plays. He’s going to be an incredible deep threat that you have to worry about every single play because if you don’t keep him in check he’s going to make you regret it. Also, Ruggs is going to stretch defenses because he such a dangerous deep threat which will allow his teammates to take advantage and get open on short and medium routes.

Although his speed is incredible and makes him extremely valuable, Ruggs isn’t just a super-fast receiver. He’s much more than that and saying he is just “a guy with speed” is extremely disrespectful. Along with having elite speed, Ruggs is also one of the best route runners in this entire class.

I want to focus on the play against LSU. Henry Ruggs (#11 for Alabama) is being pressed by Kristian Fulton (#1 for LSU) so he hits Fulton with a single move on the release, faking a step inside and which puts Fulton slightly out of position. Then Ruggs gets some separation because of his speed and now he’s on top of Fulton and has a ton leverage. Finally, he takes a few stutter steps and cuts inside, getting wide open. What’s so impressive about this play, in particular, is how Ruggs was able to get separation in just a few yards solely because of his speed. Keep in mind, Kristian Fulton isn’t slow at all and usually has really good technique, but Ruggs cooked him on this play.

His speed combined with his route running and athleticism is why I compare him to Tyreek Hill and think he may have the most potential out of all the receivers in this class.

Now it's time to rank these guys. These rankings are based on potential, versatility, and overall talent (route running, hands, speed, Football IQ).

1. CeeDee Lamb

CeeDee Lamb is the best receiver in this class for a few reasons. First off, he is a versatile receiver who can play inside and outside and can run a variety of routes. You can put him on the outside and let him run go routes and curls or you can play him inside and ask him to run post routes, drags, etc. which is extremely rare. This is the perfect receiver for a team with a sub-par quarterback because he is physical with a big catch radius and can make contested catches in traffic. What makes Lamb so unique is his elusiveness and smoothness on the field. He is a really good route runner which is weird especially since he’s so physical and once he has the ball in his hands he makes defenders miss and is extremely difficult to tackle. The only thing he’s missing is elite speed and loose hips. Other than that he’s amazing.

2. Henry Ruggs III

Henry Ruggs has the most potential out of all the receivers in this class. He is going to be one of the most feared weapons in the league because of his speed and will make his teammates better because he can stretch defenses, leaving the middle of the field open. Like Lamb, Ruggs can also play on the outside and the inside and has a diverse route tree. Ruggs is a fantastic route runner who has amazing technique and a high football IQ. He isn’t going to make contested catches like Lamb, but because of his athleticism, he can make crazy catches away from his body. His speed and route running alone are enough to put him at #2. Let’s pray the 49ers don’t pick him because we’re in trouble if they get their hands on him.

3. Jerry Jeudy

I hate having Jeudy this low because I like him so much, but the guys above him are just so freaking good. Jeudy is the best route runner to come out in recent memory. His technique is second to none and he gets wide open all the time. I also think he is faster than his forty time (4.45) because he straight up flies down the field on film. Jeudy is really good with the ball in his hands and makes guys miss just like Lamb. The reason why Jeudy is this low is because he is will primarily be a slot receiver in the NFL and has the worst hands out of the top three receivers. I still love him though.