Player development is the name of the game in college football. Right alongside player development is talent acquisition. To say LSU football hit the jackpot with former two-star wide receiver Justin Jefferson would be a significant understatement. Coming out of high school, few schools were recruiting him; now, he’s No. 2 overall in the annual NFL top 100 rankings.
Former two-star LSU football recruit Justin Jefferson is among the NFL’s best
Generally, high school recruiting star rankings are designed to predict translation to the NFL. So, statistically, five-star recruits typically have a much higher chance of reaching the NFL than a two or three-star.
However, some players defy the odds and entirely outplay their star ranking. When it comes to Justin Jefferson, there’s little doubt that he falls into the latter category.
Coming out of high school, the former star LSU wide receiver was listed as a two-star recruit, according to Rivals.
Today, he’s the No. 2 overall player in this year’s annual NFL top 100 list.
The NFL Top 100 is a list of the top 100 players in the league, as voted on by the players themselves. More specifically, it takes into account the overall body of work from the season prior, so it generally stays relatively accurate.
For Jefferson to be ranked as the No. 2 player is an immense honor. It’s one thing for the media and fans to view you as one of the top players in the NFL. However, if your fellow athletes also consider you in that category, it speaks volumes about your talent level.
From LSU purple to Vikings purple
Before the NFL, Justin Jefferson was a part of one of the greatest passing games in college football history. Led by quarterback Joe Burrow, the 2019 LSU football offense was practically unstoppable.
In total, Burrow threw the ball 527 times for 5,671 yards and a shocking 60 touchdowns. However, he didn’t do it all by himself. The pass catchers on the team were elite in their own right. Led by now-NFL star wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, the duo combined for 3,320 yards and 38 touchdowns.
For Jefferson, that college success almost immediately translated to the NFL, going on to win NFL Rookie of the Year in 2020. Furthermore, since joining the NFL, he has yet to record less than 1,400 yards in a season.
For context, Jefferson was just the second rookie wide receiver to gain more than 1,000 receiving yards in Vikings history. Who was the other one, you may be asking? Well, that was none other than Randy Moss, one of the best to ever do it.
The Tigers have three players listed in the NFL top 50
As if the 60 passing touchdowns weren’t enough to convince you that the 2019 LSU offense was one of the best, all you have to do is look at this year’s NFL Top 100. Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson ranked within the top 50, with both Burrow and Jefferson making the top 10.
The term “NFLSU” has never made more sense than it does today. The purple and gold has representation all over the league, with over 60 players currently signed to an NFL roster.
Still, even with all that star power, few have shined brighter than Justin Jefferson since joining the league. The former two-star defied the odds and showed the world why no one should ever doubt him again.
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