Justin Jefferson wasn’t a highly touted wide receiver prospect in the 2020 NFL Draft. He was seen as a first-round talent but wasn’t seen as the top receiver in the group. Fast-forward four years, and he is not only the best wide receiver in the group but also the best wide receiver in the NFL as a whole.
The general manager who drafted him was Rick Spielman, and according to the former Vikings front office leader, Jefferson wasn’t shy about his goals. In a video posted by The 33rd Team, Spielman discussed what the then-rookie wide receiver told him when he was drafted in 2020.
“When he came in, the one thing he talked about was ‘I want to be known as one of, if not the, best receivers to ever play in the NFL. . .I want to have that gold jacket.”
Spielman mentioned that he had only seen the type of talent Jefferson had twice before: Barry Sanders and Adrian Peterson. Both are considered among the best ever to play their position, and Jefferson is on track to be in the same discourse when his career is over.
