TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — For a second straight week, Jerry Jeudy galloped effortlessly past defenders on his way to the end zone. Matched up against a safety, the sophomore receiver beat his man before running down a deep ball from quarterback from Tua Tagovailoa for an 81-yard touchdown on Alabama’s second play from scrimmage during its 39-10 victory over Missouri.
Plays like that have become common for Jeudy. Two weeks ago against Arkansas, he embarrassed two Razorbacks defenders, beating them to the perimeter en route to a 60-yard score. Both defenders appeared to have good angles on Jeudy, but neither was able even to touch him as he whizzed down the field.
“Just more want-to,” Jeudy explained. “I just want to get there faster than my opponent I guess.”
Jeudy leads all Alabama receivers with 252 yards after the catch this season, an impressive stat considering he shares a receiving corps with speedsters like Henry Ruggs III and Jaylen Waddle who have both clocked sub-4.4 times in the 40-yard dash. Ruggs flashed that speed against Missouri as he was clocked at 24 miles per hour by Alabama’s Catapult system during an 83-yard touchdown that was ultimately called back. Jeudy, 6-foot-1, 192-pounds, admits he's never moved that fast.
“Actually when I get a ball I actually feel slow,” Jeudy said. “But when I actually watch it … I don’t know why but I just feel slow when I get the ball. I’m actually running fast, I guess.”
