Packers draft profile: LSU WR Justin Jefferson

After a 13-3 regular season and a trip to the NFC championship game, the Green Bay Packers still have a few holes to fill on their roster if they want to improve in 2020.

Green Bay is set to pick at No. 30 in the 2020 NFL draft, so it will have to wait a bit before making its first selection.

In this “Packers draft profile” series, we will look at several options for Packers in the first round and dissect their collegiate careers, highlight reels and how they would fit with the team.

In this edition we look at LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

OVERVIEW

Jefferson is from St. Rose, La., and came out of Destrehan High School ranked by 247 Sports as a three-star recruit and the No. 76 player in Louisiana in the 2017 class. He did not have a catch as a freshman, but as a sophomore in 2018 he led the Tigers with 54 receptions, 875 yards and six scores.

Jefferson, much like the entire LSU team, had a breakout year in 2019. The Louisiana native exploded for 111 catches, 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns, including an excellent performance in LSU’s 63-28 win over Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl. In that game, Jefferson reeled in 14 catches for 227 yards and four touchdowns to help the Tigers advance to the College Football Playoff national championship.

COMBINE RESULTS

40-yard dash: 4.43 seconds

Vertical jump: 37.5 inches

Broad jump: 126.0 inches

MEASURABLES

FILM ROOM

 WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

“There is a lot to like about Jefferson for the NFL because he has the skill set to be an effective starting receiver. He has mismatch height and length with solid hands, leaping ability, and body control downfield. Those things make Jefferson very dangerous to make receptions over defensive backs and come down with contested catches even when he is covered. Jefferson high points the ball and is a dangerous red-zone weapon. While he is not a burner, he has enough quickness to get downfield and challenge defenses. He is a weapon to work the sideline and be a tough wideout to defend on back-shoulder throws, fades and slants.” – WalterFootball.com

“His athletic ability is certainly apparent on tape. He possesses top-notch body control and is able to make tough adjustments to the ball in the air, helping complement his focus and strong hands to make his ball skills among the best in the class. as well as change direction seamlessly after the catch. He does a good job of stemming his routes and using leverage points to his advantage.” – Draft Wire (USA Today)

“A quarterback’s best friend, with the contested-catch focus and extreme ball skills to boost completion percentages. Jefferson failed to stand out as an outside target but saw his stock soar with a monster season from the slot. He has decent speed and separation talent, but he needs to improve as a route-runner, as he’s less likely to see the same freedom in space that LSU’s offense helped create for him. He’s slippery in space and able to stab and save throws with quick hands and fluid body adjustments. Teams looking for an inside/outside possession receiver with the size and savvy to make chain-moving catches could push Jefferson up the board.” – NFL.com

HOW HE FITS

There are a lot of unknowns in the Green Bay Packers’ wide receiver room, save for Davante Adams. Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling have shown potential and Devin Funchess seems like a dependable option, but Jefferson is the full package. His ball skills, body control and decent speed could help him quickly become a second option for Aaron Rodgers.