Utah State’s Jalen Royals is an explosive and dynamic playmaker who can play outside or in the slot. He’s projected to be picked in the second or third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, so let’s get to know his parents ahead of the big day.
Who Are Jalen Royals’ Parents?
Royals was born on Feb. 18, 2023, to parents DeAndre and Tiombe Royals in Powder Springs, Ga. While information about her mother’s professional career is not readily available, DeAndre attended Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School and worked at the Remarkable Youth Project.
According to his LinkedIn profile, DeAndre currently works as a Judicial Expeditor at Fulton County Superior Court. He was originally from Detroit but settled and currently resides in Powder Springs, where Jalen also attended Hillgrove High School.
Jalen was a three-sport athlete in high school, where he excelled at football, track and field, and basketball, but he wasn’t heavily recruited for any of the sports. He enrolled at Georgia Military College for his freshman year in 2021.
After receiving an invite to a Utah State camp, Royals was offered a scholarship and joined the program in 2022. In his first year with Utah State, Royals played in 12 games but wasn’t much of a factor offensively.
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In 2023, he enjoyed a breakout season, leading the team in receiving and also setting a school record with 15 receiving touchdowns.
In his fourth and final year in college, Royals was on his way to another stellar season but suffered a foot injury midway through the year, cutting his season short.
Across two seasons at Utah State, Royals caught 126 passes for 1,914 yards and 21 touchdowns. Now, he enters the 2025 NFL Draft as one of the class’s top playmakers.
Royals’ Scouting Report
In PFSN analyst Bentley Weissman’s scouting report on Royals, he said, “Royals is a dynamic playmaker whom NFL teams will surely covet in this year’s NFL Draft. He is just a two-year starter at the collegiate level, but he made the most of his two seasons and was prolific as a junior, leading all FBS players in receiving touchdowns.”
“Royals was primarily an outside receiver at Utah State, but was moved around the formation to create favorable match-up opportunities to get the ball into his hands.
“A highly explosive athlete, Royals is at his best when he is working vertically down the field or when he has the ball in his hands. He offers excellent speed, quickness, and burst, and he also has the ability to leap and elevate himself above the defenders. He has just average size but really good play strength.
“Overall, Royals projects as a number two receiver who can play outside or in the slot. Creative offensive coordinators will love his ability to win at all levels of the field and will certainly want to get the ball into his hands early and often.”
