WATCH: When Former Alabama WR Jaylen Waddle scored an impressive 98-yard kickoff return TD against Auburn in 2019
There are 98 days until the start of the college football season. Many programs' social media accounts are slowly counting down until the start of the season by showcasing a key moment associated with the number of days left.
On Saturday, an Instagram account dedicated to Alabama shared a highlight of former Crimson Tide wide receiver Jaylen Waddle's 98-yard kickoff return touchdown against their rivals, the Auburn Tigers.
The return came in the middle of the second quarter. The Crimson Tide had just gone behind after quarterback Mac Jones' pass was intercepted by Auburn for a pick 6 touchdown. But the Tigers' lead did not last long, as on the kickoff, Jaylen Waddle returned the ball to the endzone to retake the lead.
This was not the first time that Jaylen Waddle had returned a kick of the endzone during the 2019 season. A few weeks before, Waddle scored a 77-yard return touchdown against the LSU Tigers in a closely fought game that has gone down as one of the best college football games this century.
However, on both of these occasions where Waddle was able to find the endzone, the Crimson Tide lost the game. The season-ending defeat against Auburn meant that for the first time ever, the Crimson Tide were not involved in the College Football Playoffs, and were also not picked for a prestigious New Year's Six bowl game.
Jaylen Waddle's time with Alabama
Apart from scoring two impressive kick-returning touchdowns, Jaylen Waddle's college football career had some high points.
Waddle had his debut season in 2018 and very quickly made an impact with the Crimson Tide. During this season, Waddle recorded 848 receiving yards and scored six touchdowns. Waddle also had one kick return touchdown, as he helped Alabama make it to the National Championship game, where they would lose to the Clemson Tigers.
The other two seasons that Waddle had were similar to each other in terms of receiving yards. What was different was the impact Waddle had.
During 2019, he was a reliable target on a team that struggled with backup quarterback Mac Jones at the helm. In 2020, Waddle himself would miss the second half of the season after breaking his right ankle, returning the opening kickoff against the Tennessee Volunteers.
Waddle was able to return for the national championship game against the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he recorded 34 yards from three receptions. This small contribution helped the Crimson Tide to record a convincing 52-24 win to give Waddle a national championship.
Jaylen Waddle declined to play in his senior year and declared for the 2021 NFL draft. He was drafted as the 6th pick by the Miami Dolphins, where he is becoming a key part of fellow Alabama alumni Tua Tagovailoa's offense.
Do you think that Jaylen Waddle will win a Super Bowl one day?