The Bucs traded a fourth- and sixth-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks to move up to pick 129 in the fourth round and selected North Texas WR Jalen Darden.
With Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, Scotty Miller and Tyler Johnson all still present on Tampa Bay’s roster, Darden adds speed to an already deep position group. With 4.46 speed Darden is explosive in space and broke out for 1,190 yards in 2020 with a wild 19 touchdowns. He is a true slot receiver, could make an immediate impact in the screen game for Tampa Bay and start his career as a special teams player and rotational player in a specific role for the Bucs.
This is what Pro Football Focus wrote about Jaelon Darden in their 2021 NFL Draft Guide:
“With 74 catches for 735 yards in 2019, Darden wasn’t on a lot of draft boards or watch lists heading into this season. That changed after back-to-back 200-plus yard performances midway through this season. Even though he’s only listed at 5-foot-9 and 174 pounds, Darden has developed a ton physically since showing up to North Texas at a listed 157 pounds. That added muscle has brought a level of speed and burst few possess. He simply moved at a different speed than the guys guarding him in Conference USA. Darden has the kind of vertical slot skills so many offenses covet nowadays.”
Watch Darden’s North Texas highlight video below
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