A quick look at the Los Angeles Rams’ wide receiver room will show you they don’t put a ton of emphasis on size and explosiveness. Their tallest receiver is Josh Reynolds, who’s 6-foot-3 and just shy of 200 pounds, while Robert Woods is probably their most explosive.
Instead of going for the flashy and supremely athletic receivers, the Rams prioritize route-running and awareness at wideout. Cooper Kupp isn’t the fastest player on the field, but he knows how to separate from defenders and find holes in zone coverage.
Second-round pick Van Jefferson is a similar player to Woods and Kupp, even drawing a comparison to the two receivers by GM Les Snead. His best attribute is route-running, and the ability to separate from defenders in man coverage.
He even said he thinks he can get away from anyone thanks to his crisp routes.
“I think my strength is my route running. I feel like I can separate from anybody. I feel like I can get out of any break. I feel like I can break it down in anything, so I feel like that’s my strongest suits in my game,” Jefferson said after the draft.
It’s no surprise that Jefferson knows how to run good routes on the field. His dad Shawn played more than a decade in the NFL and has been a receivers coach for more than 10 years, too. Sean McVay said it looks like Jefferson has been running routes since he was 10, and it’s a reason the Rams spent a second-rounder on him.
This video shows his route-running ability well, shaking defenders loose at the Senior Bowl this year.
Of course, he isn’t a perfect prospect and there are areas in which he can improve. Jefferson primarily wants to focus on getting better at jump balls.
“Some things that I need to work on, is probably my 50-50 balls,” he said. “I feel like as I go back and look at my film throughout the season, there was a lot more plays I could’ve made, catching those 50-50 balls. So, that’s something that I need to work on if I want to have a great NFL career.”
The Rams don’t have a big possession receiver who can dominate in the red zone and win those 50-50 balls, though Reynolds is probably the closest one to that mold. Jefferson will be competing with Reynolds for the No. 3 receiver spot, so being a well-rounded player will be paramount if he wants to complement Kupp and Woods as a starter.