The Cleveland Browns took a big swing last season.
They traded for Jerry Jeudy, who had failed to live up to the hype and had big questions about his character, and then gave him a big-money deal before he even played for them.
Fortunately, it looks like the gamble paid off.
Jeudy broke out in the second half of the season, and he finally looked like the first-round stud he was in college.
That’s why Browns analyst Xavier ‘Chef Zae’ Crocker wanted to give him his flowers after recently being named the No. 82-ranked player in the NFL’s top-100 of 2025.
Talking on the “Honor The Land” podcast, Crocker praised Jeudy for walking the walk after talking the talk, which isn’t something Browns players usually do.
“After I’ve got to witness Jerry Jeudy, after I see how he’s carried himself, after he talked the talk and walked the walk, that was something that Browns players in particular do not do. You think about the hype leading up to that Denver game, he was all in the media basically saying it’s on, and then he comes out and does it,” Crocker said.
Jerry Jeudy comes in at #82 on the NFL Top 100 🔥@chefzae23 knew we were witnessing something special in 2024 after the Broncos MNF Game 📈 pic.twitter.com/rGChIMiwrA
— Honor The Land (@honortheland) July 12, 2025
Jeudy burned some bridges during his days with the Denver Broncos, even getting into a very public feud with former NFL star WR Steve Smith Sr.
He played with a huge chip on his shoulder from start to finish last season, and while his numbers weren’t good early on, it’s hard to blame him after watching Deshaun Watson struggle before his season-ending injury.
Now, Kevin Stefanski and his coaching staff need to make sure to keep pressing his buttons and keep him as motivated for his second year with the organization.
The talent has always been there, and he’s already shown what he can do when he’s fully locked in.
The biggest challenge will be to do so in consecutive seasons and prove that he can be a legitimate force at the wide receiver position.
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