The New York Jets worked out former Alabama State and Louisiana wide receiver Michael Jefferson on Wednesday after recently getting cleared to play for the 2023 season. This is good news for Michael because he was initially ruled out for the 2023 season due to a fatal car wreck in April.
He is likely trying out for a spot on the New York Jets practice squad, potentially joining wide receivers Irvin Charles and Malik Taylor. Players on the practice squad get an opportunity to understand the offense and get elevated to the active roster if a player gets injured. Teams prefer to elevate players from the practice squad rather than sign someone who doesn’t have experience with the offense.
The New York Jets trainee started his collegiate career at Alabama State.
After not receiving a star rating from many recruiting databases in 2018, he committed to Alabama State, one of the few colleges that gave him an offer. In his freshman season, he caught 12 passes for 115 yards and four receiving touchdowns. In his sophomore season, he caught 49 balls for 767 yards and twelve receiving touchdowns. In his last season with Alabama State, he caught 24 balls for 234 yards and two receiving touchdowns during the COVID pandemic.
After the 2020 season, Michael Jefferson transferred to Louisiana. In his first year with Louisiana, he would have 18 receptions for 481 yards and four receiving touchdowns. In his last season, he caught 51 balls for 810 yards and seven receiving touchdowns.
He would be invited to the NFL Scouting Combine.
Michael Jefferson got invited to the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. During the combine, he measured in at 6’3 and 3/4 and weighed 202 pounds. Michael clocked in a 4.56 40-yard dash, ran a 1.52-second 10-yard split, a 4.56 in the 20-yard shuffle, a 7.03-second 3-cone drill, a 37-inch vertical jump, a 132-inch broad jump, and 16 bench presses. Many scouts projected him as a day-three draft pick in a wide-receiver-stacked 2023 draft class.
A fatal car accident would derail his chances of getting drafted.
Weeks after the combine, Michael Jefferson was involved in a fatal crash in Mobile, Alabama. It was initially reported that Michael Jefferson’s Chevrolet Impala collided with the Dodge Charger driven by the 55-year-old man. The 55-year-old man was killed instantly after a Nissan Maxima crashed into the Dodge Charger.
The cops stated that their initial report on the crash was incorrect. The cops believe that Jefferson was driving in the Dodge Charger and collided with the 55-year-old man who drove the Chevrolet Impala, and Jefferson potentially was under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
After the car wreck, Michael Jefferson would require multiple surgeries. Two weeks after the fatal car crash, Michael Jefferson was released from the hospital. Doctors believed that Jefferson would miss the entire 2023 season, and he would be able to resume in 2024.
Michael Jefferson’s status after the crash
Michael Jefferson would go undrafted during the 2023 NFL Draft. After the draft was over, he didn’t get acquired by any team. A few weeks ago, Michael Jefferson got cleared by doctors to return to football, allowing him to fly, take part in physicals, and play for an NFL team.
Michael Jefferson has recently worked out with the New York Jets on Wednesday. We shall see whether the New York Jets decide to sign him to the practice squad. If the New York Jets ultimately decide not to sign him to the practice squad, other teams will be interested in hosting him for a visit. The Los Angeles Chargers could be interested in giving him a workout.
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