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It’s been quite the offseason for Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
First, he agreed to a contract extension that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Then, he was recognized as the best player at his position by those around the league.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler relayed the results of a survey of NFL executives, coaches and scouts that asked them to rank the top 10 players at different positions. The wide receiver list was released Wednesday, and Jefferson checks in on top:
It’s hard to argue with Jefferson being No. 1.
In just four years in the league, he already has a resume that includes an Offensive Player of the Year, three Pro Bowl selections and three seasons with at least 1,400 receiving yards. He even reached the 1,000-yard mark last season when injuries limited him to just 10 games.
“Play speed. Constant production. Instincts. Elite hands. Do-it-all route runner,” an NFL personnel figure said of Jefferson’s game.
The 25-year-old, who led the NFL with 1,809 receiving yards in 2022, is the headliner, but the rankings underscore just how loaded the wide receiver position is in today’s NFL.
Tyreek Hill, Ja’Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb and Davante Adams round out the top five, and they all appear well on their way to reaching the Hall of Fame after their playing days. Hill in particular stands out, as going from being a Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs to leading the Miami Dolphins has only improved his production.
He led the NFL with 1,799 receiving yards last season, which was his second straight year with more than 1,700 yards through the air.
“His speed changes your preparation and how you have to play defense,” an NFC executive said of Hill. “Only a few people on earth can do that.”
One notable inclusion in the top 10 was Stefon Diggs, who will be on a different team this season after the Buffalo Bills traded him to the Houston Texans. Fowler said he was “one of the most polarizing figures on this list,” with rankings as high as No. 5 and others leaving him out of the top 10 entirely.
It is a testament to Diggs’ consistency, though, that 1,183 receiving yards was something of a down season for him in 2023.
He may not be the only receiver on this list to switch teams this offseason, as Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers checks in at No. 10. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported Tuesday that Aiyuk requested a trade, although ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted “the 49ers have no intention of trading” him.
It will be a storyline to watch as training camp begins, as teams don’t often have the opportunity to add a top-10 wide receiver to their offense via trade this close to the season.
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