When Justin Jefferson was picked at No. 22 in the 2020 NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings, he didn’t waste time making headlines. Moments later, Jefferson delivered a confident message to his new quarterback, Kirk Cousins, in April 2020 via 247 Sports.
“Kirk, I’m coming here," Jefferson said. "I'm going to be that receiver for you. We’re going to get a Super Bowl.”
Jefferson was excited at hearing his name called out in the first round of the draft that was loaded with some great talent in wideouts like CeeDee Lamb.

“Having your name called in the first round on the national platform is an honor,” Jefferson said. “Not too many people can say they can go to an NFL team, so I'm definitely honored.”
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Jefferson’s comments weren’t just empty words — he had every reason to believe in himself. Fresh off a historic national championship run with the LSU Tigers, he caught 111 passes for 1,540 yards and 18 TDs in 2019. Playing as part of the dangerous offense consisting of quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, Jefferson proved he could hold his own in the company of elites.
“All of the guys at LSU helped me tremendously,” Jefferson said. “Competing with those guys every single day on and off the field helped mold me as a player and as a person. That whole season was a dream; it felt like a dream.”
Jefferson exploded onto the NFL scene with a 1,400-yard rookie season and instantly became one of the league’s most electrifying wideouts.
His chemistry with veteran Kirk Cousins culminated in a phenomenal 2022 season when Jefferson caught 128 passes for 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns and earned the Offensive Player of the Year honors. The Vikings ended the season with a 13-4 record.
Ja'Marr Chase tries recruiting Justin Jefferson
At just 25, Justin Jefferson has already built a résumé that rivals some of the best. His dominance on the field has earned him a contract worth $35 million per year and made him the highest-paid non-QB athlete — until his LSU teammate, Ja’Marr Chase, passed him with a $40.25 million annual deal.
Earlier this week, Chase made a cheeky attempt to recruit Jefferson while the two were playing "Call of Duty." Chase told the followers that he wanted Justin (Jefferson) to join the Bengals, but Jefferson didn’t respond.
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