Fansided
Fansided

Minnesota Vikings: First-round 2020 NFL Draft targets

By Ian Higgins

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 13: Wide Receiver Justin Jefferson #2 of the LSU Tigers celebrates as the time is ticking away during the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. LSU defeated Clemson 42 to 25. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 13: Wide Receiver Justin Jefferson #2 of the LSU Tigers celebrates as the time is ticking away during the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. LSU defeated Clemson 42 to 25. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 6
Next
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 13: Wide Receiver Justin Jefferson #2 of the LSU Tigers celebrates as the time is ticking away during the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. LSU defeated Clemson 42 to 25. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 13: Wide Receiver Justin Jefferson #2 of the LSU Tigers celebrates as the time is ticking away during the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. LSU defeated Clemson 42 to 25. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

2

Justin Jefferson WR

LSU Tigers Football
LSU Tigers Football /

Scouting Report

Projected Starters: Adam Thielen, Tajae Sharpe, Bisi Johnson

With the success alongside prospective first overall selection Joe Burrow in the 2020 college football season at LSU, Justin Jefferson is still a late first-round talent within one of the deepest wide receiver classes in NFL draft history.

Jefferson has a balanced blend of size, speed, route running, and ball skills to be a do-it-all number one wide receiver in the NFL. Between a 6-foot 1 frame, a 4.43 40-yard dash, and the demonstrated ability to both create separation as well as go up for the ball at the point of attack, Jefferson is ready to contribute day one.

After trading hot and cold ‘diva’ wideout Stefon Diggs, Minnesota needs a new wideout to line up across Adam Thielen. Thielen has the ability to get open and make great chain-moving plays but isn’t one to break a game open and create a 75-yard touchdown or consistent chunk gains.

Jefferson could bring that same kind of explosiveness to the Vikings’ offense that Diggs’ had, but hopefully with less drama and more output.

With the combination of every important characteristic to a wide receiver as well as the skills to translate to the NFL, Jefferson should be a mid-first rounder in a normal draft class but could slide down to the second round with some bad luck in a loaded positional class.

Home/NFL Draft