Jalen Tolbert WR South Alabama: Scouting Report

Height: 6’2’’

Weight: 193

Overall

Jalen Tolbert is a dynamic Z receiver in South Alabama’s run heavy offense. In his 4 college seasons, he played in 47 games, starting 35 of them. He is a very good athlete especially for a receiver of his size and was extremely productive his last two seasons with South Alabama.

Pass Game

Tolbert has good footwork and speed off the line of scrimmage, but he needs to be more physical down the field. He did not run very complex routes and he struggled creating separation with his route running and struggled creating separation against physical corners. Although he had issues creating separation, he is excellent at making contested catches down the field and he is very good at high pointing the ball to make plays over the defender. While he is a very good deep threat, he was used on short routes as well. After the catch he has very good vision and the speed to outrun the defense and make big plays. He lined up all over the field in college and with his blend of size and speed along with his ball skills, he can be a very productive receiver at the next level.

Run Game

In the run game, Tolbert was occasionally used on jet sweeps, but he lacks the explosiveness to be a ball-carrier in the NFL. He can be a strong weapon on screens though. As a blocker, he showed poor effort at times, and he will need to be more physical before he is trusted on runs to his side of the field.

Last Word

Tolbert projects best as a Z receiver in a pass heavy scheme. He has the versatility and speed to be used both in the slot and the outside. He has very good ball skills and he can be a reliable target which will make him a good weapon on 3rd downs. In special teams, he has the athleticism to be productive, but he needs to be more physical before he can start on extra downs.

One-Liner: Although Jalen Tolbert struggles creating separation down the field, he has the ball skills and athleticism to be a very reliable receiver early in his career with the potential to grow into a larger role.

Grade: 6.7 (Solid Starter on All 3 Downs)

Games Watched: 2021 – Tennessee, Coastal Carolina, Appalachian State

Team Fits: Green Bay Packers, Tennessee Titans, Detroit Lions