Wide receiver depth has been a strength of the Los Angeles Rams ever since Sean McVay took over in 2017. At all times, they’ve had at least three productive receivers on the roster, ranging from Sammy Watkins to Brandin Cooks – with Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp being the key cogs for the last three years.
That trend will continue in 2020, even after the Rams traded Cooks to the Texans in a cap-saving move. Van Jefferson arrived about a month after Cooks was traded, with the Rams selecting him in the second round at No. 57 overall.
Jefferson is a precise route runner, has strong hands and enough speed to stretch the field, which should help him carve out a role as a rookie. He’ll be competing with Josh Reynolds for the third receiver spot, but even as the No. 4, he’ll see some targets come his way.
Rams wide receivers coach Eric Yarber raved about Jefferson recently in an interview with the team’s official site, highlighting his separation skills.
“Just watching him and seeing him on film, he is a great route-runner with big-time separation skills,” Yarber said. “He knows how to separate, he knows how to set DBs up to separate. If he’s covered, he can use his big body or he can use his athletic ability, man. He has the talent to separate and the know-how.”
Jefferson is the son of a former NFL wide receiver, Shawn Jefferson, who now coaches the wideouts with the Jets. McVay said he could tell he was the son of a coach based on his route running and talent, which caught the Rams’ eyes in the draft.
Jefferson may be fourth or fifth in the pecking order of targets this year, but in 2021, his role could grow with Kupp and Reynolds being free agents. Clearly the Rams drafted him with that in mind, it’s just a matter of which wideout they keep.