One of the key aspects in today’s game is a receiver’s ability to separate from their defender. The best way to gain that separation is through pristine route running. The 33rd Team’s Andy Benoit ranked the top nine route runners in the NFL today.
The Minnesota Vikings’ star receiver Justin Jefferson claimed the top spot on this list.
Justin Jefferson is in this spot because he makes cuts without slowing down or shortening his stride. Few – if any – players in history have had such an ability. It’s an incredible physical gift that Jefferson amplifies with smooth and fluid hips, twitchy joints and, therefore, supreme body control.
His 2022 league-leading 1,809 receiving yards would have been well north of 2,000 if he’d been more consistently targeted when open (especially early in the season). And so much of Jefferson’s “open” is wide open. What’s more, everything we’ve touched on here applies to Jefferson whether he’s aligning at X receiver outside, off the ball as a Z receiver or in the slot as an F receiver.
This is another example of Jefferson’s dominance as a receiving option. The sky is the limit for what the 24-year-old superstar is capable of.
