Praise from High-Profile Players Mounting for Justin Jefferson
Because sophomore slumps are often real, some NFL brains theorized second-year Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson might be a candidate.
That was incorrect.
After setting the NFL rookie yard for most receiving yards in 2020, Jefferson is poised to shatter that pace in his follow-up season. Through 13 games of 2021, Jefferson has notched 1,288 receiving yards, second in the NFL behind Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams. His current projection by the numbers is to finish 2021 with 1,585 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Not bad.
Jefferson is a bright spot amid the Vikings underwhelming 6-7 season through 14 weeks. Minnesota has performed inconsistently — virtually every game — and must win at least three of its final four games to reach the postseason. The Vikings could very well pull that off, but they must find some continuity of success within individual games.
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Onlookers of Justin Jefferson have noticed his stellar sequel season, too. In particular, Davante Adams from the Green Bay Packers and retired running back LeSean McCoy recently tweeted their awe of the LSU alumnus.
On Wednesday, unprompted, Adams tweeted this:
Although cases can be made for Cooper Kupp this season and perhaps Tyreek Hill on the whole, Adams is considered the best wide receiver in the NFL. So, this compliment means something, especially because Vikings and Packers players don’t typically fawn over each other. They’re supposed to hold a friendly hatred.
Adams is impressed. So is the aforementioned McCoy.
McCoy, who hung up his cleats three months ago, is a six-time Pro Bowler, three-time First-Team All-Pro selection, and a two-time Super Bowl champion. His resume is extensive, ranking 134 rushing yards behind O.J. Simpson at #21 on the all-time RB leaderboard. And, just like Adams, it is unclear why McCoy tweeted his thoughts out of the blue.
Jefferson has already authored two of the Vikings most productive WR seasons since the departure of Randy Moss in 2005.
In this statistical regard, Jefferson has already done what Percy Harvin and Stefon Diggs could not from a receiving yards standpoint. Jefferson could even catch Moss for Minnesota’s historical receiving yards mark.
Jefferson is aided by an extra regular-season game added by the NFL at the beginning of this season. Many NFL records will be broken in short order with the addition of an extra game, and Jefferson might take down a Moss-Vikings record. Per game, 86 yards is a lot, but Jefferson could certainly accomplish the feat barring any quiet games.
While it is unclear if the Vikings will keep the same player nucleus heading into the 2022 season or rebuild in some capacity, Jefferson is under contract with the Vikings through 2024. He garnered Second-Team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl inside his rookie campaign, so he should stack more of those this year and beyond.
Jefferson will have another chance to chip away at Moss’ franchise record on December 20th when the Vikings travel to the Chicago Bears for Monday Night Football.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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