Death Valley Voice
Fansided

The Minnesota Vikings get the biggest bargain in the draft by selecting Justin Jefferson

By Zach Ragan

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 13: Wide Receiver Justin Jefferson #2 of the LSU Tigers 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 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

LSU football’s Justin Jefferson was selected with the No. 22 overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2020 NFL Draft.

I spent half of my Thursday night screaming at my television for someone to take LSU football wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

Finally, after 21 picks had been made, the Minnesota Vikings were the lucky team to select the former Tigers star.

Jefferson was the fifth wide receiver selected in the draft, behind Henry Ruggs, Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb and Jalen Reagor.

But he could easily end up being the best wide receiver in this class.

By now, you know the story. Jefferson slipped in the draft — despite his ridiculous production in 2019 (111 receptions for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns) — because there are some questions about whether or not he can beat press coverage in the NFL.

Jefferson played almost exclusively in the slot in 2019, so there’s no track record of success for him on the outside. I can understand those concerns. I just think those concerns are — for lack of a better word — silly (he ran a 4.43 in the 40 yard dash at the combine….he can get off the line).

This is a wide receiver that showed on the biggest stages in college football that he’s elite. Jefferson caught nine passes for 106 yards in the national championship game against Clemson. Against Oklahoma, in the College Football Playoff semifinal, Jefferson caught 14 passes for 227 yards. And against Georgia, in the SEC Championship game, he caught seven passes for 115 yards. Jefferson produced ALL SEASON LONG.

And let’s not forget that Jefferson is still relatively young as a football player — both in terms of age (21) and college football experience (30 career games in three years).

Jefferson was an afterthought as a three-star recruit. He barely saw any action as a true freshman and didn’t catch his first pass until he was a sophomore.

The Louisiana native is still coming into his own as a football player. The sky is truly the limit for his potential.

Next. Joe Burrow is the next pro sports icon. dark

Vikings fans should be thrilled with this selection. Jefferson’s going to have an extremely productive career in Minnesota.

Home/LSU Football