With less than two weeks from start of the 2020 NFL Draft, ESPN released a heartfelt story on Jerry Jeudy that not only shared his story, but will make you a Juedy fan, regardless of who you root for.
Jerry Jeudy has an incredible story that not many people know about, and once you hear his story, it makes you want to root for him even more.
Jeudy grew up in Deerfield, Florida. His mother Marie, moved to America from Haiti when she was 14.
“Back home, they don’t have as much, but they make the most of what they do have,” she says. “Their values are all about the family, church, home and school.” Those values led Marie to keep a tight grip on Jeudy. She did not want him playing outside, and she especially did not want her baby getting beaten up in a football game. So Jeudy waited and eventually snuck out of the house when his mom was at work.
Local kids played pickup games on a narrow road between houses that they called “Back Street.” Space was limited, so they had to learn to improvise. One of the more elusive street ball players was a young man named Lamar Jackson. The future Ravens quarterback taught Jeudy some moves. He taught him how to juke.
“The same things he’s doing now he was doing when he was younger,” Jeudy says.
Marie eventually found out about her son’s outdoor exploits. But when she saw how much he loved playing football, she relented.”
Little did she know at the time, her son would go on to become a football legend. His freshman year of high school, he attended Monarch High in Coconut Creek. His teammates were Calvin and Riley Ridley, both of whihc are now NFL wide receivers. But that’s not where his high school journey ended.
“A coaching change eventually led Jeudy to transfer to Deerfield Beach, and now it was his turn to show what he could do. Jeudy, who is 6-foot-1 and 192 pounds, wasn’t much of a physical presence at that point, more a thin tangle of long arms and legs. But his new coach, Jevon Glenn, knew who he was. And he knew he could be great.
He watched Jeudy effortlessly stop and start on his routes, sticking his foot in the ground and accelerating with little wasted motion. “That’s a God-given ability you can’t teach,” Glenn says. He saw Jeudy shake defenders with ankle-breaking jukes. But Jeudy was also young and carried a happy-go-lucky demeanor.
“He was fortunate enough to play with Calvin Ridley and Riley Ridley and always kind of took that Little Jerry mindset,” Glenn says. “The biggest thing was letting him know he had a chance to be elite, that he would soon be Big Jerry.”
Before his junior season, he told Glenn, “Coach, I want to be the best receiver in the country.” Jeudy changed his nutrition and sleep habits and studied cut-ups of other receivers. He practiced his juke moves in between classes, squaring up students walking in the opposite direction like they were defensive backs. “He probably scared most of them,” Glenn says.”
By the time Jeudy was ready to pick a university to play football at, he only had one word in mind “champion.” Alabama intrigued him in a way no one would’ve imagined: the fact Nick Saban didn’t promise him playing time as a freshman. Jeudy liked the fact he was told he would have an opportunity to play his freshman year. Meaning, he had to work for it.
That’s the work ethic Jeudy has had his entire life, and it’s a work ethic he will take with him to the NFL.
Last season, he recorded 77 receptions for 1,163 yards and 10 TDs.
In his career, he finished with 159 receptions for 2,742 yards and 26 touchdowns.
Many predict Jeudy to be the first wide receiver drafted in the upcoming draft, as well as the potential “rookie of the year” next season.
Regardless, there’s one thing for sure, Jerry Jeudy will prove himself to any team that takes a chance on him.
After all, that’s all he needs, a chance. Because he has the work ethic and determination to show he’s more than worth at a shot in the NFL.
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