It’s not just the beer and cheese causing blood pressures to spike across the state of Wisconsin. Some of that hypertension is no doubt attributable to the Green Bay Packers’ wide receiver room. While they have a lot of good pieces in Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Dontayvion Wicks, none of them have been able to step up as a WR1. The Packers could spend their shiny first-round pick on a receiver, but history suggests that won’t happen.
Even worse: With Watson likely out for most of the season, the Packers will need someone to fill that void immediately. While casual fans might not think Watson has a massive impact on the Green Bay offense, Packer fans know just how important he is to this team — and the rest of the receiving corps.
To replace Watson’s vertical threat — and to allow for Green Bay’s stubborn refusal to use a first-round pick — Jalen Royals from Utah State is a good option.
At 6’0”, 205 lbs, Royals has the size and frame to play in the NFL immediately. He also has the speed, running a 4.42 40-yard dash. That number may also undersell his speed because he ran the 40 right after recovering from a foot injury that ended his season last year. While Royals has NFL-level traits, some questions surround him, such as how he will translate to the next level.
At Utah State, Royals faced Mountain West competition and didn’t always thrive against FCS opponents. He had his two worst games of last season when he faced Utah and USC, recording just 44 and 47 yards, respectively. While this might be partly due to the poor quarterback play and Utah State’s offensive philosophy, scouts will likely factor it into their evaluations.
Royals was on a tear at Utah State this season, putting up 834 yards and six touchdowns in seven games before his season-ending injury. Before his foot injury, it looked like Royals had hit another level, putting up 211, 155, and 188 yards in his last three games.
While there are a lot of questions about Royals’ game, there are also many things to like. His unique speed allows him to win vertically, breezing past defenders as he stretches the field. This season, Royals averaged 15.2 yards per catch, with an average depth of target of 9.2. He isn’t just someone who can win with straight-line speed, as he has various releases he can use to get open.
Though Royals’ speed is impressive on his vertical routes, his body control and spatial awareness are even more noteworthy. Utah State’s offense often pushed Royals out to the boundaries. They asked him to use an outside release on the sideline, where he had minimal room to operate, and come down with the pass inbounds.
Royals is also really impressive in the screen game, as his combination of speed and his ability to make the first man miss in short areas make him hard to bring down. Utah State often used Royals in tunnel screens and designed touches, where he recorded 150 yards.
Though Royals is great in both vertical and screen concepts and is a threat to score every time he touches the ball, his route tree is still underdeveloped at the intermediate level. While this might be because of how Utah State used him, it’s still an uncertainty about his game.
Royals has played both out wide and in the slot at Utah State, but given his struggles against press, it would make sense to keep him in the slot more at the start of the season.
His route running is crisp. Royals gets in and out of breaks with no problem. But while he could win on speed alone at the college level, how will he fare in the NFL when he is no longer the best athlete on the field? While the physical skills are there, the question is, are his technical skills up to par?
While these questions might turn some teams off, the Packers should be intrigued by his upside. They have drafted receivers based on their traits alone – Watson and Reed are prime examples. Royals could be an addition to this room, making them even more explosive.
