Florida football: Van Jefferson to Panthers could be a perfect fit

Former Florida football player Van Jefferson isn’t a first-round pick, but that shouldn’t stop the Panthers from making a steal in the draft.

The fleet-footed wide receiver, Van Jefferson, will be one out of a handful of Florida football players to be selected in the NFL Draft.

Jefferson, an underrated ball catcher, planned to increase his draft stock and catch the eyes of NFL scouts during the combine, but after dealing with a fractured foot, the 23-year old was forced to undergo surgery which ruled him out of the drills.

This was devastating news for Jefferson, who lead the Florida receiving unit with 657 yards, six touchdowns, and 49 receptions.

Luckily, his skills are cemented in the game film, giving NFL GM’s and coaches more than enough to work with when evaluating his true talent.

It’s clear that Jefferson can compete with the best of the best after recording a career-high eight catches for 73 yards and two touchdowns against national champions Kristian Fulton and Grant Delpit last season.

Fansided’s very own Aaron Gershon projects the 6’2 receiver to land with the Carolina Panthers in the fourth round; however, it would not be surprising to see Jefferson make a surge to the second or third.

Just a month ago, The Panthers decided to cut Cam Newton and turn towards Teddy Bridgewater to lead the team. It’s evident that the Panthers’ new OC Joe Brady will be looking for an abundance of weapons to help the sixth-year quarterback.

And with the combination of Bridgewater’s ability to escape the pocket and make something out of nothing and Jefferson’s awareness to work back to the football on busted plays, we should see a clean fit that has the potential to be productive.

But there are other arguments to be made when looking deep into the stats.

PFF found that Bridgewater averaged just 5.4 yards a throw last season. The quarterback is a check down machine that ranks last in the NFL for average depth per completion.

Oddly enough, Jefferson found his success as a possession receiver who only recorded four catches over 20 yards against SEC play since 2018.

Jefferson certainly won’t be the deep target that Bridgewater needs, but he works perfectly with Bridgewater’s style of play and target depth.

The connections are clear, but what makes Jefferson so appealing to Carolina is his elite footwork which allows him to camouflage his true intentions off of the line.

He used an abundance of head-fakes, stutter steps, and a quick first step to keep opposing cornerbacks on their heels throughout his college career.

And while Jefferson may not be an immediate threat in the league, I see him as an investment. His footwork and crisp route-running give him enough of a foundation for future coaches to build off of.

NFL pro analyst, Lance Zierlein also sees potential writing:

"Versatile, skilled receiver who has played all three receiver spots but is likely to do most of his damage from the slot. Jefferson has average size and won’t run away from quality man coverage, but he will separate from it with premium route-running and unique looks and angles that keep cornerbacks on their heels."

If Jefferson can add the dynamic of being a legit vertical threat, we should see a long, successful career out of the former Florida football star.

And while he is unlikely to go in the first round, you can bet that teams will look to steal him from competing GMs later in the draft.

Ultimately, the young man from Brentwood, Tennessee is making a step in the right direction if he wants to be an NFL star.

It’s currently out of Jefferson’s hands-on where or when he will be drafted, but once he arrives, the journey will begin.

Gator Nation is rooting for you, Van.