Jermar Jefferson: If Lions' Offense Is Backed Up, 'I Can Take It 90'
New Detroit Lions running back Jermar Jefferson is confident in his abilities.
Speaking after being drafted by the Lions in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Jefferson explained that he felt he was a balanced running back who could also be explosive when needed.
“I feel like I’m more of a balanced back," Jefferson said. "I feel like I can get fourth-and-one, I can get the first down when my name is called. Or when we’re real backed up on the 10, I can take it 90, or take it 100. I feel like I’m more of a balanced back, I can do both. I've got vision, and I can catch the ball out of the backfield. I feel like I can do it all, so I would consider myself a balanced back.”
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At Oregon State, Jefferson appeared in 27 games, and recorded 51 carries for 2,023 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Head coach Dan Campbell and Detroit's front office have been preaching that they are closely watching tape of all the potential members of their 2021 roster.
For Jefferson, he exemplifies what Campbell and Co. are looking for, when the tape is turned on.
"I'll tell you what, when you just turn on the tape, this kid's a football player," Campbell said in a recent SiriusXM Radio interview. "He had some of the fastest play speed of any halfback in this draft. I think he may have been second behind Najee Harris. I'm not talking about 40s, I'm talking about play speed during the game. You see it. There's enough plays out there where he busts into the wide open and nobody is catching him. What I love is, even for me, halfbacks, I don't necessarily care about speed. I care about vision and toughness and smarts, and this kid, he hits every one of those."
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