Alabama Football: 3 takeaways from Citrus Bowl blowout of Michigan

2. Jerry Jeudy will go in the top half of the first round

Though he has not yet officially declared that he will depart early from Alabama with a year of eligibility remaining to head to the NFL, Jerry Jeudy showed against Michigan why there is no reason for him to delay a big payday any further by continuing to suit up in the college ranks. The Wolverines got a taste of what Alabama opponents have experienced all season long when forced to cover Jeudy.

The 2018 Biletnikoff Award winner missed his chance to repeat as the nation’s top receiver as his stats regressed from last year. He ended his career with the Crimson Tide with a career-best 204 receiving yards on six catches, hauling in an 85-yard catch on the first play of the game to set the tone for the Alabama passing game for the rest of the day.

Singlehandedly putting up more receiving yards than Michigan averaged to entire teams through the course of the regular season, Jeudy punctuated an already storied career with one final highlight-reel game.

In the NFL, with its rookie wage scale pegged to where a player is drafted, draft position is critical to a player’s future earning potential. Jeudy’s huge day in Orlando could lead him to move up at least a handful of spots in the 2020 NFL Draft, which could translate to millions of dollars over the course of his career.