KJ Jefferson NFL Draft Projection 2025: Where could the UCF QB land

After five seasons at Arkansas, KJ Jefferson will play his last season of eligibility in college football at UCF. The quarterback decided against declaring for the draft earlier this year to play one more season at the collegiate level.

KJ Jefferson was the Razorbacks’ starting QB for three seasons before moving to the UCF Knights. His experience will be vital for his new team in the 2024 college football season as he sets out to boost his draft stock.

Here’s a look at the quarterback’s draft projection.

KJ Jefferson Draft Projection for 2025

KJ Jefferson has the size to thrive as a quarterback in the NFL. However, his arm strength and pace aren't elite enough to draw strong attention from the NFL teams just yet. Without a doubt, this will have a crucial impact on his draft stock.

Jefferson still struggles with various aspects of his game, especially given his limitations in elite playmaking ability and overall talent. His dropback footwork, internal timing, and ability to read progressions are all slower than ideal. These mechanical inconsistencies often lead to issues with accuracy and precision.

Nonetheless, Jefferson possesses a reliable game-management foundation. This is complemented by his toughness on the gridiron, a list of positives that could make a few NFL teams consider him as a squad option.

The quarterback is currently projected to be a sixth or seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft with some experts seeing him going undrafted. This will most likely make him a developmental backup option in the team that eventually lands him in the draft or as a free agent.

Gus Malzahn sees KJ Jefferson thriving in the UCF offense

Following a brilliant debut for UCF on Thursday, Gus Malzahn believes KJ Jefferson will succeed at the program this season. The quarterback completed 7 of 14 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns as the Knights secured a 57-3 win over New Hampshire.

“There’s going to be growing pains. That’s to be expected,” Malzahn said. “He’s going to get more comfortable with our offense and become more efficient. … After that first quarter, I thought he settled in and starting getting more control of our offense.”

Without a doubt, Jefferson’s performance this season will have a huge bearing on his draft stock. Maintaining the tempo displayed in his first game for the Knights could make the case for a good landing spot.