Cousins Takes a Little Shot at 4 NFL Teams
Janik Eckardt
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Cousins Takes a Little Shot at 4 NFL Teams
The NFL Top 100 rankings are a big talking point every offseason. A select group of players picks the top 20 players in their opinions, and all lists combine into one extensive list. However, the rankings are flawed, as players are biased and choose friends and teammates. Therefore, no one should take the positioning of the players as more than it is — an entertaining show.
Justin Jefferson clocked in at the 17th spot, and his video shows a great sample of JJ highlights. At the end of the video, Cousins can be heard saying: “How he was the 5th receiver taken in that draft is incredible.” The Vikings’ social media team isolated the clip and posted it.
Indeed, it’s incredible how no team saw his potential. All it takes is one team. 21 draft picks were announced before the Vikings made the selection, and none of them were Jefferson. The league even selected four receivers before him, which is unbelievable. But who were the four receivers taken higher than JJ?
Henry Ruggs
The Las Vegas Raiders had the first choice. All WRs were still on the board when they were on the clock at pick 12. They botched the selection. Ruggs was an incredible player at Alabama. He recorded 921 receiving yards during his career and scored four times.
During his second season, Ruggs allegedly caused a car crash that killed a young woman. The receiver has been charged with driving under the influence resulting in death and reckless driving, and the Raiders released him. It’s unlikely that he’ll play another NFL game. He certainly showed a ton of promise in college, but even before the fatal crash, he didn’t look like the next big thing, with just 921 yards and four scores.
Jerry Jeudy
The Broncos selected Ruggs’ college teammate with the 15th pick. He came off back-to-back seasons with over 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns.
Jeudy struggled badly with drops in his rookie campaign but still recorded over 800 yards. He’s a fluid route runner, which allows him to get open regularly.
His second season started with a high ankle sprain, and he didn’t perform well after recovering. He recorded just 467 yards and no touchdown.
In 2022, he’ll play with newly acquired quarterback Russell Wilson, which should help him progress. Wilson is an upgrade as a passer and will provide some veteran leadership and experience to allow him to get closer to his potential.
CeeDee Lamb
Lamb was actually a good pick by the Dallas Cowboys. The 17th overall pick is their top receiver. He recorded 2,037 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Cowboys traded away Amari Cooper and made Lamb the focal point of the passing game. He has the 16th highest receiving total in the NFL since he entered the league. While he didn’t come close to Jefferson’s numbers, the Cowboys are happy with him.
Jalen Reagor
This pick was a catastrophe. Jefferson was the obvious top receiver on the board but the Eagles, in person GM Howie Roseman, selected the TCU wideout over the LSU superstar. So far, he has recorded 695 receiving yards and three scores. In 2021, the Eagles demoted him to punt returner and, at times, didn’t even play him on offense.
Spending the 21st overall pick is a significant investment for a punt returner. He may get traded or cut pretty soon. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are the top guys. Reagor’s best-case scenario would be a trade and a fresh start somewhere else. He’ll always be remembered as the guy the Eagles selected just above Jefferson. The reaction of the Vikings after hearing the pick went viral.
Justin Jefferson
Former Vikings GM Rick Spielman finally ended Jefferson’s draft night with the 22nd pick. While he didn’t start the first two games, he dropped 175 yards on the Titans in Week 3, his coming-out party. In his career, Jefferson recorded 3,016 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns. That’s the most of all NFL players since he entered the league and the most of any player in NFL history in his first two seasons.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and Classic rock is his music genre of choice. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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