Jalen Royals WR Utah State | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Jalen Royals WR Utah State
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Outside X-Receiver | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/20/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.42 seconds (79%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Outside X-Receiver | |
| Last Updated: 03/20/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.42 seconds (79%*) | |
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 85.2 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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72% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 116.4 | |
| Hands: |
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70% |
| Short Receiving: |
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79% |
| Intermediate Routes: |
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81% |
| Deep Threat: |
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84% |
| Blocking: |
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55% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Late
Overall Rank:
#59
Position rank:
#7
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| College Games: 26 College Snaps: 1413 | ||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Malachi Corley - Western Kentucky |
|
91% |
| Ja'Lynn Polk - Washington |
|
84% |
| Jalen Tolbert - South Alabama |
|
83% |
Draft Profile: Bio
A late-blooming vertical threat with basketball roots and track speed, Jalen Royals took an unconventional path to becoming one of the Mountain West's most explosive playmakers. The Powder Springs, Georgia native originally landed at Georgia Military College before a eye-opening workout at Utah State's Elite Camp - where he blazed a reported 4.32 forty - earned him a shot with the Aggies. After a quiet 2022 season focused on academics, Royals exploded in 2023, setting the school record with 15 touchdown catches while becoming just the 13th player in program history to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards.The 6'0", 210-pound target followed up his breakout junior campaign by averaging 119.1 yards per game as a senior before a foot injury cut his season short. His final four games were a masterclass in playmaking - posting 666 receiving yards and five scores, including a 211-yard eruption against ranked Boise State that showcased his gamebreaking ability. That contest perfectly encapsulated what makes Royals special - taking a slant 75 yards to paydirt and consistently winning vertically against future NFL corners.
The former high school high jumper (6'4" PR) and AAU basketball player brings that multi-sport athleticism to the gridiron. His speed at 210 pounds puts him in rare company physically, while his production - especially in the scoring department with 21 career touchdowns - demonstrates how quickly he's translating those tools into playmaking ability. The rapid development is particularly impressive considering he had just 7 catches at the JUCO level before landing in Logan.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Explosive straight-line speed that stresses corners vertically and turns shallow crosses into home run plays - ask Boise State about that 75-yard touchdown
- Natural hands-catcher who plucks the ball away from his frame, particularly impressive adjusting to throws above his eyes while maintaining stride
- Basketball background shows up in his route breaks - runs through cuts like a point guard changing direction, maintaining speed through transitions
- Plus body control and spatial awareness to adjust routes based on defensive positioning without losing momentum or timing
- Dangerous after the catch with rare combination of long speed and short-area wiggle - consistently makes first man miss in space
- Shows advanced feel for settling into soft spots against zone coverage, particularly on intermediate routes
- Versatile alignment potential having worked outside and in slot - gives offensive coordinators formation flexibility
- Still ascending player with clear development arc - production improved every season as technical skills caught up to physical tools
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Limited experience against elite competition, having played exclusively at the Group of 5 level with just one season of significant production
- Struggles with physicality in his releases, showing inconsistent hand usage and technique when facing press coverage at the line
- Route tree remains underdeveloped at short and intermediate levels, relying heavily on vertical concepts for production
- Blocking technique and effectiveness need significant refinement, often lacking proper positioning and power at point of attack
- Shows some concentration lapses on routine catches, particularly when working the middle of the field at intermediate depths
- Limited experience against elite competition - dominated Mountain West but steps up in competition will test technical refinement
Scouting Report: Summary
Royals is going to make some offensive coordinator very happy as a field-stretcher who can house it from anywhere on the field. After watching every snap from his last two seasons, what jumps out is how he's developed into more than just a straight-line burner. His basketball background shows up constantly - the way he sets up breaks, maintains speed through cuts, and creates after the catch reminds me of a point guard working in space. In the right system, he's going to be a nightmare on deep overs and slot fades where he can build speed and work away from leverage.The fit that keeps jumping off my notes is San Francisco - imagine him running those deep cross concepts off of Shanahan's play-action game, or Detroit where Ben Johnson could deploy him as a moveable chess piece who can stretch the field vertically while working those catch-and-run concepts underneath. He'd eat up those voids created by their run game. The Ravens are another scheme fit - their vertical passing game needs exactly what Royals brings to the table.
The tape shows a player who's just scratching the surface. Sure, he needs work defeating press and his route breaks could be sharper, but you can't teach that explosive gear he hits or the natural feel he shows for manipulating space. Some evaluators will get hung up on the level of competition, but that 211-yard game against Boise State's NFL-caliber secondary told me everything I needed to know. Trust your eyes on this one - he's going to outplay his draft position
Jalen Royals percentiles vs other Wide Receivers (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Jalen Royals (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
71.7
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
10.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.