2011 NFL Draft Profile: Jerrel Jernigan

Jerrel Jernigan-WR-Troy:  5’9″ #190

Strengths-Dynamic athlete in both the pasiing game and special teams returns.  Fantastic open field runner with excellent change of direction skills.  Nice job setting up blocks on screens, end-arounds and runs from the wild-cat position.  Displys the ability to work through trash to gain big chunks of yardage.  Excellent quickness and balance.  Shows great flexibility and ability to avoid injuries as evidenced in his bowl game where he looked to receive a devastating knee injury and was back on the field the next drive.  Fantastic hands and rarely lets the ball into his body.  Displays very good body control and consistently twists and turns to make outstanding catches.  Runs excellent routes and consistently finds open space against all types of coverage.  Is at his best after the catch and has shown the ability to get to speed quickly.  Nice job separating from would be tacklers.  Has shown the strength to step out of arm tackles. 

Weaknesses-Will need to prove he can get separation vs. the jam against NFL corners.  Lacks the size to contribute much in the blocking game.  Lacks body of work vs. big time competition.

NFR Draft Analysis-Jernigan will probably not be drafted as high as we have him rated but he is an exceptional talent who should be able to contribute in multiple phases of an NFL offense and special teams.  Jernigan has first round talent and should absolutely be drafted in the first 45 picks.

NFL Comparison-DeSean Jackson

Stats Overview Receiving Rushing Fumbles YEAR REC YDS AVG LNG TD ATT YDS AVG LNG TD FUM LST 2007 30 337 11.2 46 3 14 50 3.6 13 0 0 0 2008 77 868 11.3 86 5 33 254 7.7 38 1 0 0 2009 71 1101 15.5 70 4 40 266 6.7 26 1 0 0 2010 84 822 9.8 70 6 45 322 7.2 55 3 0 0

2010: Named first team All-Sun Belt Conference as a receiver and all-purpose player and second team as a return specialist … Saw action in four different capacities – quarterback, wide receiver, punt returner and kick returner … Rushed for 58 yards on five carries vs. BGSU … Scored from 49 yards out on an electric direct snap play from the “Wildcat” formation … The 49-yard run was the longest of his career … Caught six passes for 40 yards … Averaged 11.3 yards on three punt returns and 30.5 yards on two kick returns … Totalled 193 all-purpose yards to become Troy’s all-time leader in the category … Continued his movement up the Sun Belt record lists with another all-purpose assault at Oklahoma State … Totaled 277 all-purpose yards … Recorded 10 receptions for 87 yards and a 10-yard touchdown … Posted his first career kick-off return for a touchdown with a 100-yard return in the second quarter to give Troy a halftime lead … Held to just six touches against UAB … Caught five passes for 48 yards and ran one time for two yards … Did not have a kick return against the Blazers due to UAB constantly kicking away from the all-purpose threat … Rebounded from a down game at UAB with 311 APY against Arkansas State … Included in that total was 10 receptions for a career-best 209 yards and a 70-yard touchdown. … Also ran five times for 31 yards … Posted 40 receiving yards and 17 rushing yards at MTSU, including a 3-yard touchdown reception … Recorded his first career punt return for a touchdown by racing 75 yards for a score against Louisiana-Lafayette … Also scored on a 12-yard pass … Totaled 77 yards on six receptions … Became Troy’s all-time leading receiver passing Danny Grant for first place … Kept in check by ULM and held to just 92 all-purpose yards … Tallied three receptions for 27 yards and five carries for 35 yards … Lone touchdown came on a 16-yard run in 2nd quarter … Reached 5,000 all-purpose yards for his career against ULM … Only two other Sun Belt players have reached that mark … Continued to show his versatility and value at North Texas with an 18-yard passing touchdown … He rushed a season high 89-yards and caught four passes for 57-yards … Broke the Sun Belt Conference record for receptions putting him 236 in his career … Also broke the receiving yards category at Troy … Led all Troy receivers at South Carolina with 30 yards and a touchdown … Eclipsed the 3,000 yard mark in career receiving yards against Western Kentucky with 89 yards on the afternoon … Totaled 120 all-purpose yards behind 38 receiving yards on seven receptions against FAU … Capped his Troy career by scoring a pair of touchdowns, one on a run and the other on a reception, against Ohio in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl … Was selected to play in the 2011 Under Armour Senior Bowl, but was unable to play because of a high ankle sprain suffered in the bowl game. First team All-Sun Belt as a wide receiver and all-purpose player by coaches and media … Second team All-Sun Belt as a kick-off returner … First team All-Sun Belt honoree by Phil Steele … Preseason first team All-Sun Belt … Averaged 103.8 receiving yards per game in conference play and 173.2 all-purpose yards per game … Posted a career-high performance with 203 yards receiving on 13 receptions against ULM … Became just the fourth Troy player in program history to post a 1,000-yard receiving season with 1,101 yards as a junior … Ranks fourth in Sun Belt history in career receptions and sixth in receiving yards … Also ranks fifth in career all-purpose yards … Needs just 605 yards receiving to become Troy’s all-time leading receiver … Needs 38 receptions for top spot on all-time list … Ranks 11^th all-time in receiving touchdowns (12).

2009:

2008: Voted first team All-Sun Belt as a wide receiver by coaches and media … Broke Troy’s 40-year-old record for season receptions with 77 … Set a school record with 6.4 receptions per game, eclipsing a mark that stood for 42 years … Led team in receptions (77), receiving yards (868) and touchdown receptions (5) despite missing the equivalent of two games due to injury … Also was second on team in rushing yards (254) and threw one touchdown pass from “Wildcat” formation … Named the Sun Belt’s “Offensive Player of the Week” after posting five catches for 131 yards and score along with 10 carries for 88 yards and the touchdown pass against FIU … Totaled nine receptions for 123 yards and a score while playing just the first half against North Texas … Grabbed a season-high 10 receptions at LSU.

2007: Third on the team in receiving yards (337) and fourth in receptions (30) … Tied for team lead with three touchdown catches … Scored first collegiate touchdown against North Texas … Set a Troy Division I record with 11 receptions at 10^th ranked Georgia … Also scored two touchdowns against the Bulldogs.

Some bio material provided by www.troytrojans.com