Sports Illustrated posts a heartfelt tribute called “Meet Jerry Jeudy”

Sports Illustrated posted an incredible and heartfelt piece on Jeudy.

Former Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy not only broke records while at Alabama, he also captivated the hearts of football fans all over the country. Jeudy, the 2018 Biletnikoff winner, became a leader on and off the field. He helped other teammates improve, stayed late after practice to work more, and set out a mission to prove himself.

Jerry Jeudy
Jan 1, 2020; Orlando, Florida, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (4) makes a catch against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half at Camping World Stadium. Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

But there’s a lot about Jeudy that many people don’t know about. Like the death of his younger sister, his close bond with former Alabama and current Atlanta Falcons’ wide receiver, and why he was such a silent person in Tuscaloosa.

Sports Illustrated posted an incredible and heartfelt piece on Jeudy.

“That was the curiosity buzzing through the Crimson Tide’s receivers room in September 2017, a few days before the fourth game of what would become a national championship season. A true freshman, Jeudy had already earned a reputation for being reserved since arriving on campus. “Mysterious,” cornerback Patrick Surtain says. “That’s the word.” Even by those standards, though, this week was different. “Everybody tried to talk to him,” remembers receiver Henry Ruggs, another projected 2020 first-round pick, “but he wouldn’t say nothing at all.”

The truth was that Jeudy had sworn himself to silence in frustration over his limited role in Alabama’s offense, having caught only one pass, for eight yards. “I just said to myself, ‘Don’t say a word. Just outwork everybody,’” he says. “Coach [Nick Saban] came up to me, asked me why I was being so quiet. I was like, ‘Nothing. I’m just working.’” While curious to his teammates, the approach brought immediate results. “He was at a different speed in practice,” Ruggs says. “A speed that we’d never seen before. He was just killing it.” That Saturday at Vanderbilt, Jeudy recorded a season-high three receptions for 68 yards and his first touchdown.”

Simply put, Jeudy will forever be a legend in Tuscaloosa.

As a junior, 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.

Jerry Jeudy
Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (4) breaks away from Michigan defensive back Daxton Hill (30) on his early touchdown reception in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on Wednesday January 1, 2020.

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