Jets wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson didn’t know what to feel when his son, Van, got picked in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Van Jefferson, a wide receiver, was selected with the 57th pick by the Los Angeles Rams, two spots ahead of the 59th overall pick held by the Jets. The Jets wound up with a different wideout, Denzel Mims. While Shawn was disappointed that he didn’t get the opportunity to coach his son in the pros, he was glad that Van was given a chance to play in the NFL.
“My son was like, ‘Hey, dad, I hope I can become a Jet. I would love to play for you,'” the older Jefferson told ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “He was excited. He really wanted to come and play for the Jets. As it started ticking down … we got a phone call and I was like, ‘Oh, man!’ At the same time, I was just sad. But at one point, I was elated and happy for him because he put in all the hard work. His childhood dream came to fruition.”
Van spent the first three years of his college football career at Ole Miss before transferring to Florida. At Ole Miss, Jefferson totaled 999 receiving yards and four touchdowns. When Van arrived at Florida in 2018 he took off, recording 1,160 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns over two seasons.