Jaylen Waddle

Position:
WR
Height:
5-10
Weight:
182
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Houston, Texas
High School:
Episcopal

Junior (2020)

Owns three of the top-five longest scoring receptions in Alabama history ... suffered what looked to be a season-ending ankle injury against Tennessee but returned for the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship Game ... averaged 18.9 yards per catch for his career to rank second on UA's list (minimum 100 catches) ... led all Crimson Tide returners with a 19.3 yards per punt return average across his three seasons, nearly six yards better than second place on the career list ... recorded 733 career punt return yards to rank sixth in Alabama history ... selected as a second team All-SEC return specialist despite playing in only half of the Tide's regular-season games ... totaled 655 all-purpose yards as a junior ... averaged 109.2 yards per contest ... recorded 591 yards receiving on 28 catches for a 21.1 ypc average, tops by the Crimson Tide wideouts ... eclipsed the 100-yard receiving marker in all four games to start the season ... converted a first down or scored on 22 of his 28 catches this season ... earned First Team Preseason All-America recognition from ESPN.com, The Sporting News and USA Today ... named a second-teamer by the Associated Press and Walter Camp ... selected to the watch lists for the Biletnikoff, Hornung and Maxwell awards ... also tabbed to the preseason watch list for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award ... earned Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll recognition for his play against Georgia ... named to the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Honorable Mention list following the Texas A&M game and the matchup with the Bulldogs ... selected as one of the offensive players of the week by the Alabama coaches for his performance at Missouri ... named a special teams player of the week by the UA staff following the Texas A&M game. Missouri: Made the start at wideout ... hauled in a career-best and team-high tying eight receptions ... paced the Crimson Tide with 134 yards receiving and two touchdowns from 18 and 23 yards out ... averaged 16.8 yards per reception while converting six first downs on only nine targets against the Tigers. Texas A&M: Finished with a career-high 142 yards receiving and one touchdown on only five catches ... scored from 87 yards out, a play that tied for the fifth-longest scoring reception in program history ... also returned one punt for an 11-yard gain, part of his 156 all-purpose yards on the afternoon ... selected as one of the special teams players of the week by the UA coaches for his play against the Aggies. Ole Miss: Posted his third straight 100-plus yard receiving game, finishing with 120 on six catches ... added one rush for a gain of 11 ... also made his first career tackle. Georgia: Racked up 161 yards receiving and a touchdown on just six catches ... scored from 90 yards out as he blew past the UGA defenders for the score ... also rushed for no gain ... added one kickoff return for 22 yards while bringing back a punt for a gain of two. Tennessee: Suffered an injury on the opening kickoff against the Volunteers. Ohio State: Returned from an ankle injury earlier in the season for a gutsy performance against the Buckeyes ... caught three passes for 34 total yards, converting a first down on two of the receptions.

Sophomore (2019)

Selected as a first team All-American by the FWAA, The Sporting News and Pro Football Focus ... earned second team All-America accolades as a returner from the Associated Press and Walter Camp ... the SEC Special Teams Player of the Year and a first-team selection at return specialist by the league’s coaches ... also earned second team all-league honors as an all-purpose player from the coaches ... a second team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press ... led the nation in punt return average at 24.4 yards per return with 20 for 487 yards and a touchdown, including a long of 77 ... shattered the previous single-season mark for UA with his 24.4 yards per return average ... the 487 punt return yards are the fourth-most in Alabama single-season history ... also returned five kickoffs for 175 yards and a touchdown ... totaled 560 yards and six touchdowns on 33 catches at wideout ... added one rush for five yards ... totaled 1,227 all-purpose yards for the Crimson Tide ... selected as a Second Team Preseason All-American by Athlon and CBS Sports ... was joined by teammates Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III and DeVonta Smith on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List ... also tabbed to the watch list for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award ... named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts at Texas A&M ... earned honorable mention Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Player of the Week recognition for his performance against Western Carolina and at Auburn ... also selected as a special teams player of the week by the Tide coaching staff for his play against the Aggies, LSU, WCU and at Auburn ... named an offensive player of the week by the coaches for his play against the Catamounts and Tigers, as well. Duke: Totaled 90 yards on five catches in the season opener. New Mexico State: Caught a pair of passes for 52 yards with a long of 29 ... added three punt returns for 28 yards against the Aggies. South Carolina: Hauled in one pass for a 12-yard gain ... added five yards on his lone rush of the afternoon. Southern Miss: Totaled 43 yards on three catches against the Golden Eagles. Ole Miss: Recorded one catch for no gain in the Tide’s SEC home opener. Texas A&M: Earned SEC Special Teams Player of the Week along with accolades for the UA coaches for his play in College Station ... recorded 128 yards on four punt returns, a total that ranked as the third-most in Crimson Tide single-game annals ... averaged 32.0 yards per return with a long of 43 ... also contributed his first touchdown of the season, part of his three catches for 48 yards against the Aggies. Tennessee: Returned two punts for 35 yards with a long of 22 ... added one reception for 13 yards and a Tide first down. Arkansas: Totaled 39 yards on his five receptions against the Hogs. LSU: Earned special teams player of the week recognition from the Alabama coaching staff for his 77-yard punt return for a touchdown, the Tide’s first score of the day ... added three catches for 22 yards on offense. Mississippi State: Recorded one catch but made it count, going for a 35-yard Alabama touchdown ... also returned a pair of punts for 28 yards. Western Carolina: Earned both offensive and special teams player of the week accolades from the UA coaches for his play against the Catamounts ... also selected as an Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Honorable Mention player of the week for his play ... finished as the team leader in receiving yards, accumulating 101 on three catches ... recorded a touchdown on his long reception of the day, a 54-yard catch and run for UA’s final score the first half ... also contributed on kickoff return to go with his punt return duties, returning his one kick for a gain of 20 yards ... also returned a pair of punts for 67 yards with a long of 49. Auburn: Totaled four touchdowns against the Tigers, including three receiving and one kickoff return, to earn himself offensive and special teams player of the week recognition from the Alabama coaches ... accumulated 98 yards on four catches, three of which went for scores ... also worked as the deep man on kickoffs, returning three kicks for a combined 132 yards ... his return effort was highlighted by a 98-yard score just before the half. Michigan: Returned one kickoff for 23 yards while adding a punt return of 13 yards against the Wolverines ... also caught one pass for a gain of seven yards in the Citrus Bowl.

Freshman (2018)

Worked in the receiver rotation and on special teams for Alabama ... named a Freshman All-American by The Athletic ... SEC Freshman of the Year honoree by the conference coaches ... earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors from the league coaches ... led all SEC first-year wideouts in receptions per game (3.1) and receiving yards per game (56.5) ... averaged 18.8 yards per catch, good for sixth in the league and 18th nationally ... caught 45 passes for 848 yards with seven touchdown receptions ... 30 of his receptions went for a first down or touchdown ... added 16 punt returns for 233 yards and one score ... his 14.6 yards per return average ranked second in the SEC and was fifth nationally ... selected as a Midseason All-American by 247Sports.com and ESPN.com ... named SEC Freshman of the Week for his game against Louisville ... earned special teams player of the week recognition from the UA coaches for his performances against Louisville and Louisiana and was selected as an offensive player of the week following The Citadel game. Louisville: Made an impact on offense and special teams in his first collegiate game ... returned four punts for 80 yards with a long return of 31 and added three receptions for 66 yards ... had a long catch of 49 yards to set up a Najee Harris one-yard touchdown run for the Tide’s third score of the night ... his performance against the Cardinals earned him SEC Freshman of the Week honors along with special teams player of the week recognition from the Alabama coaching staff. Arkansas State: Caught one pass for a gain of nine yards and added two punt returns for no gain. Ole Miss: Returned one punt for 37 yards and added a catch for a gain of 30 against the Rebels. Texas A&M: Hauled in three receptions totaling 21 yards ... also contributed a pair of punt returns for 25 yards with a long of 15. Louisiana: Impressed once again on special teams, returning his lone punt 63 yards for a score to earn special teams player of the week honors from the UA coaches ... the yardage total was part of his career-high 201 all-purpose yards that included a team-leading 138 yards through the air ... caught three passes with two resulting in a touchdown, including a 94-yard reception for a score ... the 94-yarder was the second-longest receiving touchdown in UA annals. Arkansas: Tied for the team lead in receptions with four totaling 49 yards on the day. Missouri: Caught a pair of passes for 26 yards ... added one punt return for a one-yard gain against the Tigers. Tennessee: Led all wideouts with 117 yards on just four catches ... added one touchdown reception on a 77-yard catch-and-run for the Tide’s third score of the afternoon. LSU: Matched his then-career-high mark for receptions with four totaling 44 yards ... also returned one punt for no gain against the Tigers. Mississippi State: Caught three passes for 26 yards in the matchup with State. The Citadel: Had a career day against the Bulldogs ... collected a career-high and team-high tying six receptions totaling 90 yards ... matched his season-best mark and led all UA wideouts with two touchdown receptions ... five of his six catches went for a first down or touchdown ... earned offensive player of the week accolades from the Tide coaches for his performance. Auburn: Recorded 73 yards and a score on three receptions ... reached the end zone for the Tide’s final score of the day, a 53-yard connection with Jalen Hurts ... added one punt return for no gain. Georgia: Notched his third 100-plus yard performance of his freshman campaign, totaling 113 yards and one touchdown on just four receptions ... all four of his catches went for 15-plus yards and resulted in a Tide first down or score ... added a 36-yard punt return which he nearly broke for six. Oklahoma: Hauled in two passes for 20 yards with a long of 11, resulting in a first down. Clemson: Returned one punt seven yards and added a pair of catches for 25 yards.

High School and Personal Data

One of the top-10 players in Texas in the 2018 recruiting cycle ... tabbed as a four-star wide receiver by the major recruiting outlets ... rated as the No. 5 receiver and the No. 39 player nationally by 247Composite ... ranked as the fifth-best player in Texas and No. 9 receiver in the country by 247Sports ... Rivals.com ranked Waddle as the No. 2 player in the Lone Star State and seventh-best receiver nationally ... the No. 12 receiver on the ESPN300 and 9th-ranked pass catcher in Texas ... selected to play in the U.S. Army All-American Game ... Army Player of the Year nominee as a senior ... Touchdown Club of Houston Private School Offensive Player of the Year ... played for Steve Leisz at Houston Episcopal ... chose Alabama over Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M and UCLA.