What makes Justin Jefferson so special?

Despite losing Week Two’s opener to the Philadelphia Eagles, there was plenty to shout about for the Minnesota Vikings.

Kirk Cousins balled out with four passing touchdowns, Danielle Hunter is still a beast after recording three sacks, and T.J. Hockenson proved his worth as the highest paid NFL tight end with a couple of scores in the 34-28 defeat.

But it’s their star player, wideout Justin Jefferson, who continues to hit the headlines – and there is good reason.

The receiver, taken 22nd overall in 2020, hit 5,000 career receiving yards in the second quarter of Thursday night’s game, reaching the milestone in just his 52nd game, tying Hall of Famer Lance Alworth in becoming the fastest to reach that total. 

The former LSU star is in his fourth year with the Vikings and hasn’t had a season where he totalled fewer than 1,400 yards receiving. In fact, to start the 2023 season, Jefferson is averaging over 150+ yards a game, having hit that exact amount against the Buccaneers in Week One, and 159 against the Eagles.

The stats just prove that Jefferson is in a different league and so unique to other players in his position. He has all the qualities you would want from your No.1 receiver. Electric speed, so reliable at the point of making a catch and a route-running prowess that opposition defenses just can’t contain. He’s not even 25 and we’re already taking about someone who is on a trajectory to go on and become one of the best players in his position, ever.

Jefferson transition to stardom is obvious. He’s the face of the Vikings, and is starting to appear more frequently on NFL branding and advertising, so is the pull to see the wideout play. We even ranked him as the third best overall player in the league for 2022, and if things stay the same, he could be even higher on that list come the end of the season. 

It was surprising we didn’t see or hear much regarding any contractual negotiations between the team and the player this offseason. Jefferson still has two-years left on his rookie deal, which includes a fifth-year option, so the Vikings don’t have to pay him yet.

But with each day that passes, the price of an extension is only going to continue to increase. We’re talking about a player who will surely become the best paid non-quarterback in the league, and as more players get inflated pay days, Jefferson will rightly command a hefty deal.

He’s a young man with a veteran’s eye. Justin Jefferson is a special, special player, and deserves to be recognised as an NFL superstar.