Justin Jefferson already has two phenomenal seasons under his belt, and he’s only 22 years old.
Jefferson, who will turn 23 on June 16, was recently included in analytics site Pro Football Focus’ list of “Top 25 Under 25.” PFF’s Trevor Sikkema ranked the Vikings receiver fifth in the group. Sikkema wrote:
Jefferson burst on the scene as a rookie with 1,400 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns, earning an elite 90.4 grade. He followed that up with an even better 1,616 yards and 10 touchdowns with another elite 90.1 grade. For him to step on the pro stage and look that dominant out of the gate, then to prove that it was no fluke the following year, solidifies him as one of the best young players in the game, regardless of position.
The four players ranked ahead of Jefferson were as follows, from 1-4: 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, Colts running back Jonathan Taylor and Buccaneers tackle Tristan Wirfs.
The Vikings could have their hands full with Taylor in Week 15 when Minnesota hosts Indianapolis
After averaging more than 2,000 rushing yards per season in three years at Wisconsin, Taylor continued doing what he does best with 1,169 rushing yards as a rookie. He followed that up by becoming the youngest player in NFL history with at least 2,000 yards from scrimmage and tying the record for most consecutive 100-yard rushing games while tallying 1,811 rushing yards and 366 receiving yards in 2021. He led the NFL in scrimmage yards, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns (18) at just 22 years old. He’s also averaged an impressive 5.0 and 5.5 yards per attempt in each of the past two seasons. If Taylor stays healthy, he’ll be one of the best backs in the league for a long, long time.
Beyond Jefferson, Sikkema included just one other NFC North player: Packers edge rusher Rashan Gary, who filled in last season when now-Viking Za’Darius Smith missed time because of an injury.
Gary hit multiple career-highs in 2021. With Za’Darius Smith…