From now until the 2020 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to showcase as many prospects as possible and examine both their strengths and weaknesses. Most of these profiles will feature individuals that the Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to have an interest in, while a few others will be top-ranked players. If there is a player you would like us to analyze, let us know in the comments below.
#12/Van Jefferson/WR/Florida/6’1”, 197 Lbs
The Good:
- Gets in and out of cuts quickly with limited wasted movement
- Sinks hips and explodes directionally; great short-area burst
- Wide catch radius with strong hands
- Quick, lite feet; footwork is very advanced for this point of his career
- Developed, nuanced route tree; always has a wrinkle in his game to get open
- Absolute technician for the position
- Varied releases off the line of scrimmage to take away strike zone for DBs
- Willing blocker that is aggressive in initial punch
The Bad:
- Not much of a contested catch guy; won’t make a ton of plays on 50/50 balls
- Slender, spindly frame that is pretty maxed out in terms of mass
- Limited athlete; won’t blow anyone away with speed and overall athleticism
- Has a hitch in his release that needs cleaned up at the next level to negate opportunities for press coverage from DBs
- Balance issues pop up on film; top of stem can give him some trouble, slips quite a bit
Bio:
- Participated in the 2020 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.