Four wide receivers were taken ahead of Justin Jefferson in the 2020 NFL Draft. Not a single one has had the impact that Jefferson has in just a year and a half in the league.
Fans have taken notice and certainly the Minnesota Vikings have been smitten with their selection. Now, Jefferson is getting the attention of the best in the business, including Davante Adams.
Adams doesn’t just lob out these tweets on a daily or weekly or even monthly basis. Him giving praise to the Vikings’ second year wideout out of LSU is noteworthy. It also not the first time Adams has commented on Jefferson publicly.
“I see a six-year vet when I watch him play,” Adams told the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “Last year, he looked like he was already in his fourth season. He’s kind of aging like a dog right now in its purest form, because he’s a dog out there.”
The feeling is mutual as Jefferson mentioned Adams on an episode of the Pat McAfee Show during the offseason. “The best train with the best,” Jefferson said. “Of course, I want to train with the top guys of the league. I’ve talked to Davante Adams, talked to Stefon Diggs, Odell . Talking to those different guys, I definitely want to train with them and see all the information they can give to me to help my game out.”
Looking up-and-down the statistical measures it’s more than a safe assumption to say Jefferson is already a top five wide receiver in the league. And he has done it with some level of dysfunction around him.
Minnesota is in the midst of an odd season, to say the least. The pitchforks have come out for Mike Zimmer. Kirk Cousins has had a pretty damn good year but there are still doubts about whether he is the guy that can lead the Vikings, or any team, to a Super Bowl title. Despite all the chaos, all the late game theater, Jefferson has been the constant source of production, success and reliability. It’s put him amongst the elite options throughout the league.
There’s no sign that Jefferson will slow up. Minnesota needs to do everything they can to make sure he doesn’t end up like one of the other players on that list. After five years in Minnesota, Diggs grew frustrated with the organization and worked his way out of town. The Vikings can’t let history repeat itself, they need to surround him with competence.
Minnesota has a superstar in Justin Jefferson. Where they play doesn’t matter. What the score is doesn’t matter. What the scheme is doesn’t matter. Jefferson is an absolute monster and already one of the best. Even the rest of the best are starting to take notice.
