Van Jefferson Considered "Second-Third Round" NFL Draft Prospect
It was only a matter of time before former Florida Gators wide receiver Van Jefferson's route running prowess started earning legitimate NFL attention.
And after commanding the attention of scouts and coaches during the annual Senior Bowl last week, it appears that Jefferson's hype train is leaving the station.
On a recent episode of ESPN's First Draft podcast, hosts and NFL Draft analysts Todd McShay and Mel Kiper discussed their impressions from the Senior Bowl, and Jefferson warranted a long discussion, earning plenty of praise.
McShay first mentioned Jefferson amidst a discussion of the Senior Bowl standouts.
"I thought [South Carolina defensive tackle Javon] Kinlaw, probably above anyone else there, just kind of stood out. I thought, Van Jefferson was the other one I had mentioned, the wide receiver from Florida," said McShay on First Draft.
"Florida had, when we did their bowl game, going into their bowl game, they had eight pass catchers with 20+ receptions. It was an offense that spread the ball around. Dan Mullen wasn't really focused on a single player, but Jefferson on tape was the best player, Jefferson in that game, live, was the best player."
This high praise stems from Jefferson's six catch, 129-yard performance in Miami this past December in Florida's 36-28 Orange Bowl victory over Virginia, and Jefferson's pure dominance during Senior Bowl practice last week.
Jefferson played for the Gators for two seasons after transferring from Ole Miss. A dependable target for starting quarterbacks Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask during that time, Jefferson recorded 84 receptions for 1160 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also recorded five tackles and a forced fumble on special teams.
"He's not the fastest," McShay continued. "He's got good size, but he's not the fastest, the most explosive, but the dude knows how to run routes, and how to separate. Obviously, his, Shawn Jefferson is his father. Played, a very good receiver, he's a wide receivers coach right now in the NFL."
That relationship is an easy dot to connect when you look at Jefferson's development as a receiver, as Shawn is currently the New York Jets' wide receivers coach, and has been affiliated with the NFL for 27 years as both a player and a coach.
Though, McShay noted that Jefferson is a student of the game with more than just his father as a professor.
"And, just watching the way he carried himself, Van Jefferson, and I told the story too at practice," McShay said. "I'm talking to [former NFL wide receiver] Torry Holt right after practice, whistle blows, talking to Torry Holt real quickly, and he [Jefferson] comes running over and he wants to pick his brain. He just, he wants to get a little bit more information, even though he's grown up around the game and he knows the ins and outs, I just thought that was cool and they walked 60 yards together just talking. You could see their hand gestures, just going through routes, and ins and outs, and leverage, and all those things."
Prior to the Senior Bowl, Jefferson was considered a fringe day two/day three pick, and several NFL Draft analysts frequently placed Jefferson in the fourth round or later in mock drafts. After such a strong showing in Mobile, Alabama, expect Jefferson to become a fast riser.
McShay, who has connections across the entire NFL, certainly sees it coming.
"Day two. Second-third round. Somewhere in that range," McShay slotted Jefferson to be drafted.
"Just because these are the guys, they just seem to make it in the league, because they're ready to play, they know how to run routes, they know how to get open, and they can deal with the veteran guys who are pressing them and trying to play games with them."
McShay went on to compare Jefferson to Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster, who was a similar athlete and route runner coming out of Southern California in 2017. GatorMaven previously made the same comparison.
The 2020 NFL Draft will begin on April 23rd in Las Vegas, Nevada. Florida will be well-represented, following cornerback C.J. Henderson's early declaration and a total of eight former Gators played in prospect all-star games following the 2019 season.
