Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams comes into the 2022 NFL season as arguably the league’s top wideout. However, Minnesota Vikings stud Justin Jefferson isn’t too far behind in his own right.
Speaking with Complex, Jefferson shared his thoughts on the Raiders’ star and more importantly, where he sees himself after this season.
“I’ll say after this year I’ll be the best receiver in the NFL. I definitely have to give it to Davante Adams as of now, with him being so crazy and dynamic on the field. His route running is crazy, so I definitely have to give it to him right now, but I’m pretty sure after this year, it’s going to be me.”
Will Justin Jefferson overtake Davante Adams as the NFL’s best?
Jefferson acknowledged that in order for fans and the media to believe he’s the best, he’ll need to deliver on a consistent basis. In particular, Jefferson is setting out to do it three years in a row. By doing so, he can lay claim to the title of being the best. The former LSU Tiger has only been playing professionally for two years, to which Jefferson concludes he knows people believe you can’t be crowned that soon with such a hefty title.
“Some people don’t think that after two years you deserve to be at the top of the league. And then me, I feel like I’m going to surpass 1,600 yards too. So, I think that I’ll become the best receiver after this year.”
Jefferson’s trajectory certainly backs up his confidence. He’s accumulated 3,016 receiving yards over the past two seasons along with recording 17 touchdowns. Adams, for his part, is coming off a campaign where he logged 1,553 yards through the air. Obviously, he’s not slowing down. Some have mentioned if there’ll be a drop-off now that he’s playing with Derek Carr instead of Aaron Rodgers, so there’s that.
Jefferson should’ve been a Raider
In a bit of a twist, many fans might not recall that Jefferson could’ve been with the Raiders from the outset. Heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, the Raiders badly needed help at wide receiver. As a result, what followed next has gone down in infamy. First, they took Henry Ruggs III with the 11th pick. Despite early struggles, Ruggs began to show promise before a tragic accident in which he was involved ended his playing career.
After Ruggs, Las Vegas had the 19th selection. In a pick that’s gone down as one of the worst in team history, the Raiders selected cornerback Damon Arnette. Instead of double dipping at wide receiver, Jefferson fell to the Vikings at number 22. It’s always interesting to look back and see how things would’ve worked out. Who knows, maybe if Jefferson would’ve been with the Raiders, there’d be no need for Adams this season.
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*Top Photo: Official Raiders Website