(Photo: Pro Football Network)
8. Justin Jefferson– So far, defense has claimed the first two spots. In 2012, I decided to add to the brand by analyzing NCAA Football and I’ve loved it because I can say certain guys I watch in the NFL, I remember seeing them during their college days and I can say the same about this guy. Whenever I brainstorm this project, I always have a few guys that make me say he’s going be a name we see on this project for years to come. He was incredible in college with the LSU Tigers and has been the guys since joining the Minnesota Vikings in 2020. For the third consecutive season, Justin Jefferson is back and claims the eighth spot on the list and is my second-ranked Wide Receiver entering the 2025 season.
If the Vikings don’t trade Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills in 2020, they would’ve never drafted Justin and that’s a fact. Two words come to mind when I see him play with the first one being raw. He is the first raw and talented receiver I’ve seen at this level at a young age since a guy named Randy Moss and the other word is swagger. You’re able to feel the presence of certain players when they are on the field and he’s one of them. If you throw anything at him that a Wide Receiver is able to do, he can do it. He’s an excellent route runner that can create just enough space and the ball is in his vicinity, he has the footwork to release off the snap and the line to get open and, the hands and he catches anything you throw in his direction. What about the speed he shows to get open and when the ball is in his hands? I don’t think there’s a route Justin can’t run or a pass he can’t catch. No matter how many people are covering him, he will still find a way to get open. Justin is so creative as a route runner because he makes you think he’s going one way, then will cut in another direction and he’s wide open. Justin has such a strong nose for the end zone and each time he touches the ball, he’s thinking six which should be the mindset of any offensive weapon if I’m being honest. He demands the ball and gets it. Justin is a human highlight reel and I find myself checking out Vikings’ games just to see what he is going to do next.
He has become the model of consistency since coming into the league eclipsing 1,000 yards receiving each year. 2023 was a season cut short as he missed seven games due to injury and still eclipsed 1k yards receiving. He’s a four-time Pro Bowler, a four-time first-team All-Pro selection and a former Offensive Player of the Year. At this point, I don’t think he cares about who’s throwing him the ball, just get it to him and let him do the rest of the work. I haven’t seen Vikings’ fans this excited about a receiver since the Moss days and this is an all-time great we’re potentially discussing.
