2020 NFL Draft: Justin Jefferson’s stock soaring with Joe Burrow’s
LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson has been one of the biggest 2020 NFL Draft benefactors of Joe Burrow’s breakout season in 2019.
Although LSU quarterback Joe Burrow is the hottest player in the 2020 NFL Draft class right now, his top wide receiver Justin Jefferson is not far behind.
Jefferson flashed his big-play ability in 2018 with over 16 yards per reception and six touchdown catches, but he’s showing off his full skill set in 2019. Burrow’s progression has helped Jefferson raise his stock substantially, and we’re seeing so many different things from Jefferson leading to what could ultimately be a solid first-round grade.
Jefferson is an LSU legacy as both of his brothers — Jordan and Rickey — played for the Tigers. He’s carrying on the family ‘tradition’ and even as a former two-star prospect looks like he has the brightest NFL future.
At 6-foot-3, Jefferson is a mismatch size-wise and gives quarterbacks a big catch radius to throw to.
He’s proven himself to be not only a mismatch in terms of his size, but Jefferson is outstanding at making plays in the deep middle portion of the field. This season, Joe Burrow is 24-of-24 passing to Jefferson between the numbers on throws of 10 or more yards downfield with five touchdowns (h/t Cody Worsham).
This shows that not only is Jefferson capable of making acrobatic plays down the sideline, he’s working the deep middle portion of the field and eating up both zone and man coverage, and he’s catching just about everything out there.
One of the most underrated aspects of Jefferson’s game is his ability after the catch. At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, his frame doesn’t scream “YAC” but Jefferson is one of the best in the country at making plays in the open field with both elusiveness and long speed.
His combination of size, speed, hands, competitive toughness, and ability to make plays after the catch has to have NFL evaluators wondering what would be keeping him out of the first-round discussion at this point. There are not many huge holes in his game, and there doesn’t seem to be one area where Jefferson really struggles.
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He may not have the upside of someone like CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy, or Henry Ruggs, but Jefferson is an outstanding all-around receiver who is proving himself time and time again this season.