Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson made the All-Pro list that really matters.
The official AP NFL All-Pro selections were released on Friday, and the Vikings had a total of four players on the list, including Jefferson.
Not bad for a team that finished the season with an 8-9 record.
The other names on the list were right tackle Brian O’Neill, safety Harrison Smith and kick returner Kene Nwangwu.
Jefferson broke Odell Beckham Jr.’s record for most receiving yards in the first two years of his career (3,016) this season. He was on pace to break Randy Moss’ franchise record for the most single-season receiving yards (1,632), but he ultimately came up short by 17 yards in a year where he’s hauled in 108 receptions for 1,616 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.
O’Neill earned a 73.7 PFF Grade in a year where the tackle positions were the obvious strength of the offensive line. Smith was the typical wrecking ball in the defensive secondary—114 tackles, three sacks, seven pass deflections, one interception and one forced fumble.
And Nwangwu returned two touchdowns on kick-offs with 579 yards and a 32.2-yard return average.
Don’t let the record fool you. While four players made the All-Pro list, there could have been more from a Vikings team that was clearly more talented than they showed.