Jalen Royals Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of David Butler II/USA Today Sports)

School: Utah State

Class: Senior

Position: WR

HT: 6’0

WT: 205 lbs

CLICK HERE TO WATCH MY JALEN ROYALS FILM BREAKDOWN

Background: Jalen Royals was an unrecruited wide receiver out of Powder Springs, Georgia. Royals played his football for Hillgrove High School. Not only was he a great football player for Hillgrove, but he also was an all-state high jumper as well as a basketball player.

College: After high school, Royals went to play for Georgia Military College in 2021. He had 7 catches for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns that season. Despite a lack of production, Royals was able to transfer to Utah State and make an impact. He played primarily as a special teams player and received Academic All-Mountain West honors. Royals was a First Team All-Mountain West and Third Team All-American selection after totaling 71 receptions for 1,080 yards and 15 touchdowns. Royals returned to Utah State for his senior season. He played in 7 games before going down with injuries. He was on track to shatter his previous career highs as he had 55 receptions, 834 yards, and 6 touchdowns in 7 games.

Strengths: Jalen Royals is a versatile wide receiver with a elite speed and short area quickness. Royals can win in a variety of ways. Jalen was asked to lineup both on the boundary and in the slot. He was able to win off pre-snap motion and as a stagnant pre-snap receiver. He was used consistently in the screen game at Utah State in order to let him make a play with the ball in his hands. He has the home run speed in open space to torch a defense, but he also has the elusiveness to make defenders miss in close quarters. Royals does well to use leverage in all three areas of the field to create separation with elite body positioning and sharp route running. He finds soft spots in zone coverage to create a large window for his quarterback to deliver him the football. On the boundary, Royals is able to track the ball well over his shoulder and show late hands to be a reliable target 20+ yards down the field.

Weaknesses: Royals is not the biggest and can get “out-physical’d” by the lengthier cornerbacks. As a run blocker, Royals needs to show a higher compete level. He seems relatively uninterested in winning as a blocker. Off the line, Royals is susceptible to getting jammed by press man coverage. Royals only had two years of production in the Mountain West, so his resume is somewhat limited.

Conclusion: Jalen Royals is an elite wide receiver prospect with the speed and short area quickness to consistently separate. He wins in more ways than one and can be considered a matchup nightmare for any defender. He is a danger with the ball in his hands.

Scheme Fit: Scheme Versatile

Ideal Role: Z Receiver

Best Team Fits: DAL, NO, NYJ

Player Comparison: Ladd McConkey

Player Grade: Round 2 (86.2)