• Height: 6’4
• Weight: 235
• Year: Junior
• School: South Carolina
• Draft Projection: Late 1^st/Early 2^nd

Mammoth receiver Alshon Jeffery has made SEC defensive backs look silly for the past three seasons, often simply using his size to bully them on his way to the football.  A dominant force during his sophomore season, Jeffery’s production took a huge hit during his junior campaign, though much of that can be attributed to the dismissal of Stephen Garcia.  The Gamecock offense was dialed back under Connor Shaw, and the monster games for Jeffery simply disappeared.  Still, Alshon found a way to contribute and made some of the tough catches that have become the hallmark of his career.  His combination of size and production in the nation’s toughest league should prove enticing to a team in the first two rounds and gives him a shot to be one of the top receivers off the board.

While his ability to make catches with defenders draped all over him is a testament to his ball skills, it is also an indictment of his ability to separate.  That, perhaps, is the biggest question with Jeffery as you make an assessment of how his game translates to the next level.  Despite some fairly impressive short-range quickness for a man of his size, Jeffery often fails to consistently create space between himself and the secondary, and he can be beat at the line of scrimmage by aggressive defenders, which is disturbing to see when he often has forty pounds on the man he is lining up against.  His build is also the target of much skepticism.  He’s not exactly the chiseled specimen that fellow super-sized wideouts such as Calvin Johnson are; he seems to be carrying a little more weight in all the wrong places.  Overall, he may not be the gamebreaking talent that his pedigree may suggest.  Instead, he looks like more of a limited possession receiver at the next level who can be a dangerous weapon in the redzone.  That’s in stark contrast to the impression of him at this time last year, when he looked like a potential gamebreaker and a true number one receiver.

Fantasy Outlook:  Jeffery’s stock as a rookie will be tough to gauge.  He should get a boost in PPR or TD-heavy leagues, but this could be another case where a guy gets pushed up the board thanks to exposure and name value.  Jeffery’s value in rookie drafts likely lies in round 2 but most leagues will likely see him go off the board in the late 1^st.  He’s a nice addition to a dynasty roster, just likely not one who will make a big impact on your roster.

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