Jaylen Waddle – November 17, 2021
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Wednesday, November 17, 2021
WR Jaylen Waddle
(We are talking about wildlife. I don’t know if you any of that. G/T Rob Hunt told us he went swimming with an alligator and LB Jerome Baker told us he’s been swimming with sharks. Have you ever had a crazy wildlife encounter?) – “Nah, I’m from Houston. We don’t have too much wildlife like that. (laughter) I’m from the city. We don’t do all that.”
(DT Zach Sieler has a ranch where you can hunt gators, hogs and all kinds of animals. Would you be down for a trip to his hunting grounds?) – “I think I’m going to stay where I’m comfortable at. I don’t mess with that at all. (laughter)”
(In recent weeks, the offense has really made more of an effort to get you the ball downfield past the sticks. Do you feel that’s been the case and it’s been working for you and the offense?) – “I think it’s just trying to put me in spots where I can help the team, ultimately. Honestly, I wouldn’t say it’s been an emphasis just to do that. Honestly, I’ve just been going out there lining up, alignment, assignment and trying to get the job done.”
(Along those lines, how good did it feel to get that 35-yarder? Again, you haven’t had as many deep completions to you but to get that 35-yarder in the middle of that zone, how did that feel and how did that play come together?) – “It felt good. It was kind of a big play in the game so it’s always good to put your team in scoring position. I think it was a play well-called, well-designed and executed well.”
(A lot of people were wondering if QB Tua Tagovailoa could get that ball out there because he’s been dealing with the finger. Head Coach Brian Flores said he was limited and could hardly throw a ball. Were you expecting it? Were you surprised?) – “Definitely not surprising. You always got to expect the ball. I don’t think we got too many routes where you’re just not an option. I think Tua did great. Confident throwing the ball and he put the ball there.”
(I think CB Marlon Humphrey said after the game that you’re going to be a top 10 receiver next year. I’m curious what your relationship is with Marlon since he’s a Bama guy as well and what it means to hear a compliment like that coming from a player of his caliber?) – “You know he’s like an Alabama great. One of the guys that you hear about before you come to the university. I got to know him. Actually I just got to meet him that first Alabama game. Obviously a great player and it’s a great compliment. You ultimately play the game for the respect of your peers, so just having that respect from someone of that caliber is always good.”
(You’re sixth in the league in receptions. Were you aware of that and is that meaningful to you?) – “Nah, I really wasn’t. I try not to look at all that stuff, to be honest. It’s pretty nice. Not bad. (laughter)”
(On that same level, I did a little bit of work on the calculator and at your current pace, you would finish the season with 102 receptions and 946 yards. Both would be rookie receiving records for this team. What would that mean to you?) – “I really don’t play for too much overall things. I really just try to go out there and just help the team win. If that comes with winning, then I’m all for it.”
(One of the guys who used to make a lot of catches for this team was WR Jarvis Landry, an LSU guy. I don’t know how familiar or not familiar you are with Jarvis’ NFL career but what did you think of his pro game?) – “Definitely he’s an exciting player. I’m a big fan. Definitely I know he played here and now he’s at Cleveland. He’s continuing to do great things for every team that he goes to. I’m definitely a fan of Jarvis.”
(Do you set personal goals or is it strictly how the team does for you?) – “You have some personal goals but all mine are along the lines of like getting better or doing one thing better. I try to set like daily goals and get better day-by-day. Realistic goals.”
(How would you assess your rookie season so far?) – “I think it’s just been a learning process for me. I’m learning so much every week, every gameplan and every new opponent. It’s just like learning, learning a lot.”
(What’s the No. 1 thing you would say you learned through the course of the season?) – “Communication. Just from how communication works from the o-line to the quarterback to the running back to the receivers to the tight ends and how it all works and how it’s so important to get on one accord.”
(How much better of a receiver do you think you are today compared to the first week of September when the season began?) – “I just think I’ve learned so much throughout these 10 games. Like weekly, you learn something new. Just going into the gameplan of how we are going to play, what we are going to do, how we are going to execute.”
(The coaches have said that they put a lot on the rookies plate. S Jevon Holland from the defensive perspective and you from an offensive perspective. How much more is on your plate? How much more is on an NFL plate – planning, playbook and all that stuff – compared to like what you had in college?) – “It’s a lot and it’s weekly. You could do something one week and do something totally different the next week. You’ve just got to take it, really study it, learn it and learn it to a T because when Sunday hit, everything is coming fast.”
