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Overview:

HT: 6’1″ WT: 202

If you followed College Football in 2019-20, it’s highly likely you have heard the name Justin Jefferson before. One of the premier receivers in the NCAA, Jefferson and his LSU team went on to cap one of the best seasons in NCAA football history with a National Championship. Jefferson is now a consistent mock draft darling after he flashed surprising speed at the combine, but is it warranted?

Critical Factors:

• Athletic Ability (5)
  • Jefferson has more than enough athletic ability to compete with the best; that being said he is not an athletic specimen/freak either.
  • He jumped and ran very well at the combine, especially for his size, the numbers did back up the athletic playmaking ability consistently shown on his tape.
  • He uses his natural athleticism to create consistent separation when running routes, often running by and through defensive backs.
• Mental Processing (6)
  • One of the strong suits for Jefferson, he displays rare mental processing.
  • He reads the defense very well, but what is even more impressive is his route timing and his ability to read the ball in the air.
• Competitive Toughness (7)
  • Jefferson plays with a physical style, consistently winning his battles by fighting through defenders.
  • He does not give up on plays, and is willing to take hard hits, awkward falls or carry defenders to get extra yardage.
  • Jefferson is a willing and aggressive blocker downfield.
  • He is known in the draft community as a very hard worker.
• Play Speed (5)
  • Playing from the slot, Jefferson has fewer opportunities to showcase his straight line speed.
  • He is fast with the ball in his hands, but could stand to get more explosive laterally during his routes.
• Play Strength (6)
  • Jefferson plays very strong for a 6’1″ receiver, when he was a reported 6’3″ it was believable because of how he fights through bigger defenders.
  • He wins jump balls and fades consistently by bodying defenders, boxing them out and giving only himself a chance at the ball.

Check out Jefferson’s tape from the Georgia game!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RnjAGFQbJU

Position Specific Traits:

• Route Running (6)
  • Jefferson displays above-average, borderline elite route-running ability, but he still has work to be done to consistently win on the outside.
  • Since he mostly plays in the slot, he gets more variety in his coverage looks. The downside to that is he doesn’t have to consistently win again top DBs and he gets to utilize pre-snap movement more frequently to help get him open.
  • Jefferson shows an elite ability to create separation, and when he gets by his defender he is rarely, if ever, caught from behind.
  • One area of weakness is that because Jefferson rarely plays again press coverage, he exposes his chest when making cuts. More experienced/physical DBs will be able to get their hands on him and knock him off his routes.
  • Overall, Jefferson runs a variety of routes very well. He wins over the middle and over top as well as having a role in the screen game.
• Release (5)
  • Jefferson has a very solid release, playing out of the slot he doesn’t face a lot of press so he can come off the line at full speed without facing contact.
  • When he does see press, or even close man coverage, he displays an ability to win off the line with either his footwork or his hands.
  • Jefferson is not a finished product, but he has a very well rounded game and has put that on tape.
• Catching (6)
  • Jefferson has excellent hands, he has rarely put drops on tape and as far as stats go, his volume of catches speaks for itself.
  • He has natural and strong hands, he excels at catching the ball away from his body when necessary, but he consistently puts himself in a position to make the most secure reception possible using his body.
  • His concentration is off the charts, he shows this when making sideline catches and over the shoulder catches.
• Blocking (4)
  • Jefferson is a willing blocker, but his technique is lacking.
  • Instead of sustaining his blocks he goes for a big push to get defenders off their spot, occasionally leading with his shoulder.

Scheme/Fit: Jefferson would fit well in any offense, but would be best utilized in a west coast offense or a spread offense. Even an air raid would be an acceptable fit. Giving Jefferson a chance to run short crisp routes and getting him in space are the best ways to utilize him. Would love to see him end up with a creative schematic offensive innovator, finding creative ways to get him open will unlock his full potential. That being said, he still has the ability to win overtop and can be utilized in this way as well.

Negatives: As far as his tape goes, the only things I’d want to see more from Jefferson is for that 4.43 speed to show up more and for him to work on keeping hands off him.

Another negative for Jefferson is that he played alongside Biletnikoff winner Ja’Marr Chase, not to mention receiver Terrace Marshall and tight end Thaddeus Moss along with running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Heisman winning quarterback Joe Burrow. Due to the talent around him, Jefferson never faced double coverage; he rarely had a team’s top cornerback stick him for the entirety of a game; and the passes were on time and accurate from an elite college quarterback. Would he be successful as the number one threat on an NFL offense? That is not clear, but I won’t hold it against him.

Combine Report:

Relevant Numbers: 40 Yard Dash – 4.43; Vertical – 37.5; Broad – 126

Jefferson did not have an eye popping combine in the sense that he broke records or was an athletic freak. However, his combine did open many eyes because while his body of work on tape was extremely impressive, it was unclear if a big bodied slot receiver had enough speed/athleticism to win at the next level. He passed those tests with flying colors running faster than top draft prospects Jerry Jeudy and Ceedee Lamb. On the personal side, Jefferson came across as a great person and a very hardworking individual. All-in-all a fantastic combine week for him.

NFL Player Comparison/Projected Round: Fast Anquan Boldin — Mid-Round 1

For Justin Jefferson, the first NFL comparison that came to mind is a natural one, former USC receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. Jefferson and Smith-Schuster have very similar builds, both at 6’1 and just over 200 pounds. Both these players have an innate ability to make plays in multiple ways and score at will even in the red zone when the field shrinks and it is harder to find room. They both can create room, catch the ball away from their bodies and take the top off the defense. Reflecting further, I think comparing Jefferson to a faster Smith-Schuster caps his ceiling, a more accurate comp would be Anquan Boldin who was a dominant forces in the league, playing physically and lining up inside and outside.

Jefferson has some of the best college film you will ever see. Pure dominance, and despite operating mainly in the slot, he showed an ability to do everything you want from a star receiver. When Smith-Schuster played next to Antonio Brown he was a star, but he struggled getting more difficult looks and being game-planned for in Brown’s absence. These are the same questions I expect teams to have about Jefferson now that he’ll be playing without Chase. However, the talent and consistency he displays in every aspect of him game I fully expect him to elevate himself at the next level despite the questions. Jefferson will be a first round pick, and he deserves to be a high one as my 1B receiver in the draft (with 1A Lamb). I’m putting my stamp on Jefferson as my favorite prospect in the draft and one of the most exciting players in this draft from a value standpoint, we consistently see experts and scouts knocking him for playing in the slot, even if that’s where he ends up he will have a huge offensive impact on his team.

As always, we end on a high note, check out Jefferson’s highlights!