It has been nearly five years since a Utah State football player was drafted by an NFL franchise.
That drought — which spanned the entirety of the Blake Anderson era and then some — is about to come to an end, though.
Wide receiver Jalen Royals is projected to be the first Aggie taken in the draft since Jordan Love went to the Green Bay Packers in the first round in 2020.
Royals has been bandied about as a potential first round selection — ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. wrote Wednesday that Royals could be an option for the Los Angeles Chargers at pick No. 22, though it would be a bit of a reach right now. Most projections have Royals going in either Round 2 or Round 3.
Whatever placement, Royals is viewed as a legitimate wide receiver prospect.
NFL Draft Buzz ranks him No. 8 among all receivers in the draft and most profiles of Royals suggest that he has a lot of room for improvement. That is has yet to reach his full potential.
His strengths, according to scouts and draft analysts, are pretty numerous:
- He’s a dynamic playmaker when he has the ball in his hands (Bleacher Reports' Dame Parson).
- Has extreme speed and good hands, which makes him a devastating vertical weapon (NFL Draft Buzz).
- Is skilled at manipulating cornerbacks, using his hands and patience to wait until DB’s make mistakes (The Draft Network’s Daniel Harms).
There’s plenty more that scouts and draftniks like about Royals, and he isn’t shy about talking about his strengths either.
Royals recently talked with The Draft Network about how he see’s himself as a wideout.
He compared himself favorably to Baltimore Ravens' wide receiver Diontae Johnson.
“He was a small-school guy too, he went to Toledo,“ Royals said. ”We have a lot in common from a size perspective. He’s a good receiver with a quick release. I think we have some similar qualities.”
Royals thrived playing primarily on the outside at Utah State, but he believes can can play inside at the professional level. Inside in the slot. Wherever he is needed really.
“I think I can play both,” he said. “I’ve done a good job adapting to the slot role. I mostly played outside in college. I played a little slot when I was at JUCO. I think the slot position is going to be a good role for me at the next level. I’m used to playing outside though.”
Royals believes his strengths as a wideout are his catching ability and his his playmaking, above all else.
“I’m a great catcher of the football,” he said. “I’m great with the ball in space. I make plays on the ball. I have smooth releases off the line of scrimmage. Jalen Royals is just an all-around overall playmaker.”
That Royals views himself as an elite playmaker isn’t a surprise.
After all, he was exactly that at Utah State, whether he caught passes from Spencer Petras, Bryson Barnes, Cooper Legas, McCae Hillstead or Levi Williams.
That Royals was as productive as he was in college — in two seasons played at Utah State he had nearly 2,000 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns, averaging more than 15 yards per reception — while catching passes from so many different QBs is part of the reason he is so highly thought of.
His measurable’s — he is listed at 6-feet, 205 pounds and runs a 4.38 second 40-yard dash — don’t hurt either.
In truth, Royals believes he is better than he is thought of though, and hopes that playing in the Senior Bowl — among other pre-draft workouts — will prove he is better than some would assume given he played at Utah State and in junior college.
“I want them to realize that I belong,” Royals said. “Just because I went to a small school, that doesn’t mean anything. ... I want to show them I can compete at the highest level. Coming from a G5 (Group of 5) school, I wasn’t playing against the best competition college football has to offer on a weekly basis, especially compared to the SEC or Big Ten. I’m definitely going to Mobile with a chip on my shoulder.”
Whenever and wherever he is drafted, though, Royals will be the first in a long time for Utah State.
