How Jerry Jeudy went from “not that good” to Pro-Bowl receivers asking him for tips

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Leading up to training camp, Emmanuel Sanders and Jerry Jeudy worked out together at a local field in Colorado.

Despite having two Pro Bowls, a Super Bowl ring and three 1,000-yard seasons to his name, the man that wore No. 10 in Orange & Blue last year was actually the one who reached out to the Broncos’ new No. 10 for advice on how to improve his game.

“He just [messaged me] and said he wanted to come workout with me. He sent me his location and I went over there and worked out,” Jeudy revealed on Tuesday. “He was picking little details of my game and seeing how I run routes and things like that. I was learning a little bit from him as well. It was more of a, ‘What are you doing? Let’s go workout,’ type of thing really.”

The kicker is Jeudy, Denver’s new No. 10, hasn’t played a single snap in the NFL. Yet Denver’s first-rounder is such a polished route runner that even Pro Bowl NFL receivers want to pick his brain.

“It means a lot. It’s saying that I’m doing something right,” Jeudy said on NFL players, like Sanders, reaching out to him for advice. “Having a veteran that’s been in the league four, five, six, eight, 10 years asking me how I do certain things is really exciting because I’m trying to be in the same spot they’re in and they’re asking me tips from my game. It’s exciting and I’m very humbled.”

Sanders isn’t the only one learning from the rookie either. In fact, on Monday, Bryce Callahan said he “loves” going up against Jeudy in practice because he knows he’s getting better because of it.

“He’s a savvy receiver and he knows how to create that separation that quarterbacks love to see,” Callahan added.

Earlier in training camp, Kareem Jackson stated Jeudy “can get in and out of his breaks better than anyone I’ve ever seen before” and A.J. Bouye added he “loves” going against the rookie receiver because he keeps the corner true to his technique by never showing him the same look.

“It means a lot because guys like that have like eight years in the league, so they’ve seen the best of the best. Going out there and saying those type of words—really excited to hear that from them,” Jeudy said about the praise he’s received from his defensive teammates.

Because of this, and the way he looks on the field through the first nine practices of training camp, the rookie has built lofty expectations around town. The way he’s been dealing with the sky-high expectations is, well, he hasn’t been.

“I just go out there and do what I do each and every day. I don’t really pay too much attention to it,” Jeudy said on Monday after practice. “It’s good that they say a lot of great things about me. I love to hear it, but I’m just out here trying to get better each and every day.”

Unlike Sanders, who enjoys the spotlight and is a self-proclaimed diva, Jeudy doesn’t search out the cameras and lets his cleats do the talking on the field.

On Monday, Jeudy revealed how he became such a masterful route runner. Spoken like a true 21-year old, Jeudy pointed to watching a lot of YouTube videos and highlights. He also specifically pointed to his former teammate and former first-round pick Calvin Ridley.

“I played with one of best receivers in the NFL right now in Calvin Ridley in high school. Having him around in high school helped me become a better wide receiver, too,” Jeudy stated. “Learning from him, he taught me a lot of things.”

Ridley and Jeudy attended high school just five miles away from each other and both went to play for Nick Saban at the University of Alabama. The two only overlapped for the 2017 season before Ridley declared for the 2018 NFL Draft and became the 26th-overall pick. Jeudy followed Ridley’s path two years later forgoing his senior season.

Believe it or not, Jeudy said his first year playing football he “wasn’t that good.” Now, with just over a week of training camp practices underneath his belt, he has praise coming from every direction.

“He’s got really good instincts. He’s a very good route runner,” Denver’s offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said on Sunday. “A lot of receivers come out of college and they don’t have a good feel for bump-and-run. Quite frankly, some defenses don’t challenge as much in college as they are going to get challenged here. He’s done a good job working against bump-and-run. He does know how to wiggle himself open. He’s been able to make some explosive plays for us.”

The praise Jeudy’s received has been anything but normal. And that’s why the expectations for the rookie continue to grow a mile high.