Justin Jefferson 82 yards from elite history Sunday
Justin Jefferson 82 yards from elite history Sunday
Only four wide receivers have ever had 1,000 yards in their first 12 games in the league. Minnesota Vikings superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson has a good shot to be the fifth Sunday against a Jacksonville Jaguars team that can best be compared to a dead invasive Python rotting on the side of a highway in Florida. Dead, rotting, swelling and about to burst.
Courtney Cronin of ESPN explains:
“With 82 receiving yards against Jacksonville, Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson would become just the fifth rookie to reach 1,000 receiving yards in the first 12 games of his career during the Super Bowl era. Jefferson leads all rookies with 918 receiving yards and ranks second in receptions (52) and touchdown catches (six). “
Jim Souhan of the Star Tribune explains the other receivers that have had 1,000 yards in their first 12 games, and more.
“Houston’s Bill Groman produced the best statistical rookie season, with 1,473 yards in 14 games in 1960, but it might be unwise to compare the old AFL to the current NFL.
Arizona’s Anquan Boldin had 1,377 yards in 2003.
Randy Moss ranks third on the all-time rookie receiving list, with 1,313 yards. He also scored 17 touchdowns in 1998, as part of the Vikings’ superlative offense.
Odell Beckham Jr. had 1,305 yards in just 12 games in 2014.”
Funnily enough, to exemplify how spoiled we Vikings fans are when it comes go amazing talent, otherworldly skill position players, etc. A lot of lists that focus on the best rookie seasons for a wide reason in league history contain not one Vikings player, or two, but three.
This list from our friends at Bleacher Report has Percy Harvin, Sammy White, and of course, Troy Williamson, I mean Randy Moss, as 30% of that list.
Regardless of whether Jefferson becomes the fifth-receiver to amass over 1,000 yards in 12 games, it’s safe to say that he will join the above list as the fourth Vikings rookie receiver to be considered one of the best in NFL history.
Sometimes even Vikings fans get to feel lucky.
