How Alabama Linebacker Justin Jefferson Can Help An NFL Team

Alabama graduate linebacker Justin Jefferson has been building to this weekend since committing to the Crimson Tide in the summer of 2022. Jefferson can become the Crimson Tide's next inside linebacker to get selected in the NFL Draft this weekend, adding his name to the eight others selected in the last decade from Alabama.

The Crimson Tide linebacker is projected as a fifth round choice, but his elite speed could entice any team to select him earlier.

Five Things to Know About Alabama Inside Linebacker Justin Jefferson

Speed, Speed, Speed

Jefferson's top asset as a football player has always been his speed. He reportedly hit 22 miles per hour on Alabama's GPS system as he covered ground in coverage or chased down offensive players. The graduate senior ran a 4.57 40-yard dash in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine and was clocked at 4.53 at Alabama's Pro Day.

“Justin has a great feel for instinctive tracking," Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said. "He can track the ball really well, and then obviously, he’s a very physical player. He is a very fast player. He can create. He can take space away from ball carriers. We work creating takeaways every single practice at the beginning of practice, and you talk about textbook… you show exactly what he did in practice that week and exactly what showed up on game day of stripping that ball loose. Well, we do that over and over and over again, and it’s just so rewarding for those players to be able to show that, ‘hey, it showed up on game day in a very critical moment.’ So very proud of him, and the effort that he’s bringing, and the energy he’s bringing to our defense, and I think he’ll continue to build off those things.”

Diego Pavia Rule

Jefferson was allowed to return to college and play for the Crimson Tide in 2025 due to Diego Pavia challenging the NCAA over junior college seasons counting against his eligibility. Pavia was allowed to play a second season at Vanderbilt, and thus, Alabama was allowed to bring Jefferson back for a graduate senior season.

"I remember when, it was some time around maybe Thanksgiving or something like that when we found out that he was going to have the chance to be eligible," Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said. "Maybe it was later than that, actually, when I think about it. Maybe in December. That was a special moment. I remember calling Chuck Morrell at that time, and that was big because we were looking at linebackers out of the portal. In fact, I think it was December. But certainly we were all excited, and I got a chance to call him and let him know that he was going to get to come back for another year because you knew he was going to have great impact on our defense in this season."

No Star Prospect to the NFL

Jefferson's journey to this weekend is a long and winding one. He was an all-state and all-region linebacker, with 116 tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble, and a pair of interceptions as a senior, but was a no-star recruit, receiving scholarship offers from schools like Austin Peay, Tennessee State, and UT-Martin. He instead chose to enrol at River (Miss.) Community College. He played two seasons, posting 57 tackles as a freshman and 86 as a sophomore before transferring to Tuscaloosa.

He played in 14 games as a junior, but most of his action came on special teams. He recorded 60 tackles with 6.5 coming for a loss in 12 games as a senior, then used his extra season to record 85 tackles with another 6.5 coming for a loss in 15 games to complete his college career.

In five seasons of college football, Jefferson tallied 292 tackles with 13 coming for a loss, seven pass breakups, five sacks, three forced fumbles, and one interception.

Special Teams Ace

The 6-foot, 220-pound linebacker received his first action for Alabama as a special teamer in 2023. He continued appearing on multiple special teams units throughout his three seasons in Tuscaloosa, and his versatility and capability to play in the forgotten phase enhance his value as a professional prospect.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Jefferson's speed is hard to ignore as he flies to the football and covers ground effectively. He's a strong defender on plays to the outside as he pursues with precise angles and uses the sidelines to his advantage. Jefferson mirrors quarterbacks' movements in pass coverage and plays tough at the point of the catch in coverage. His explosiveness makes him an effective blizter and he can be a good chess piece in pass defense.

He is undersized by NFL standards and sometimes gets swallowed up by blockers in the run game. Jefferson would rather run around blocks than work through traffic, which can open up running lanes. While he mirrors quarterbacks in pass coverage well, he can be manipulated by quarterbacks looking to use his aggression against him.

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