STRENGTHS - Jefferson has the ideal body for the TE position with excellent height and a thick build. He is a fluid athlete capable of making smooth cuts and getting in and out of his breaks quickly. He is capable of using his body to shield defenders from the ball and elevate to pluck balls out of the air from their highest point. He is an aggressive blocker capable of locking out, playing with solid base and leverage and using his foot quickness to seal his man out of the play.
WEAKNESSES - While a smooth runner, Jefferson is a one-speed athlete that is not able to accelerate of the LOS and out of his breaks. He does not use his hands well to protect his frame and struggles to create separation. He also doesn't consistently finish his routes out of his breaks, throwing off the his timing with the QB and making it easy for defenders to stay on his hip.
SUMMARY - Jefferson looks the part of an NFL TE and is a competent, competitive blocker that uses his length, strength and foot quickness to establish positioning at the POA and turn his man out of the play. While his blocking skills will translate quickly to the NFL, he is still a raw route runner that does not use his hands aggressively on his breaks and struggles to create separation. He is not a quick twitch athlete and has to rely on his bulk and ball skills to win balls in the air, as he is not a threat to consistently stretch the seams. Jefferson is a former QB and thus is still learning the position, and considering his competitiveness as a blocker he has some clear, developmental upside. While he doesn't appear to have the natural COD ability and speed to develop into a starter, he should be a solid backup and special teams player.