Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle suffered a high-ankle sprain and a fracture, Saturday, playing against Tennessee. The injury will sideline him for the remainder of the season.
Waddle was injured on the opening kickoff of the team’s 48-17 victory over Tennessee. Head Coach Nick Saban called the injury a “shame” and praised the wide receiver’s talent.
"He's fun to watch, that's for sure, whether he's in punt return, kickoff return or playing on the field," Alabama coach Saban told reporters, according to ESPN. "I think the big thing is that Jaylen has sort of expanded his role and his game to where he can play all the positions at receiver now. We can move him around, whereas before he was mostly a slot guy.
"Now he can make plays anywhere on the field, and I think that's very helpful. You expect people to double [cover] guys like him, and when you can move him around, it makes it a little more difficult for the defense."
Waddle is expected to be a top-15 pick for the 2021 NFL draft; however, the new injury could affect his stock. The upcoming NFL draft will be held in April 2021.
"I think we responded well on focusing on the most important thing, which is the next play at hand,'' fellow Alabama receiver John Metchie III said.
[Via]