The 2020 draft was memorable for many reasons. Such a stacked draft class, first ever virtual draft and most importantly for Vikings fans, the Eagles passing on Justin Jefferson. The eagles decided to take Jalen Reagor with their 21st pick in the 2020 draft. Little did they know there was still a highly talented wide receiver sitting on the board in Jefferson.
The Infamous Video
If you are a fan of the Vikings or follow any social media accounts regarding the team, you have probably seen this video. Back when Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer were at the helm, they reacted quite properly when the Eagles passed on taking Jefferson.
The Eagles definitely have some bragging rights on Vikings fans. They beat the Vikes in the 2018 NFC Championship game. That game lead them to the Super Bowl where they eventually won their first ever NFL title.
Those are just a few things that Eagles fans can brag about. The one thing they can not brag about: taking Jefferson with the 21st pick.
The video in reference is as follows down below.
Never forget: When the Minnesota Vikings draft room laughed at the Eagles for selecting Reagor over JJ 💀 pic.twitter.com/4CYlAs05jg
— Metcalf Solos ツ (@mdcsquared) July 15, 2022
Once the Eagles pick was announced you then hear Spielman remark “Get Justin Jefferson on the clock right now.”
This was one aspect that truly fell in the laps of the Vikings. They all laughed because they wanted Jefferson and the Eagles were standing in their way. Regardless of that, Jefferson was the fifth receiver selected in the first round and yet has more yards in his career than any of the guys picked before him.
Reagor vs Jefferson
Lets start by looking at college stats between the two receivers. Reagor played wideout at TCU and compiled 2,248 receiving yards with 22 career receiving touchdowns. Jefferson a standout at LSU had 2.415 receiving yards and 24 career touchdowns.
Now you may think, these two are somewhat comparable, right?
Wrong. The difference in the two is that Reagor put up those numbers in three years in college. Jefferson beat out his totals by only playing in two full seasons at LSU. That right there should have been obvious enough for the Eagles to take Jefferson at 21.
Now we can look at their NFL comparison. Let’s start with Jefferson this time. Jefferson has logged 3,016 receiving yards (most ever in the first two seasons for a receiver). The only downfall is that Jefferson has not been too productive in the end zone, but has 17 touchdowns in two seasons.
Reagor on the other hand has not even been comparable. He has 695 receiving yards in two seasons with three total touchdowns.
The comparison is rough, but Jefferson has found some sympathy for the Eagles receiver.
I hate it for him, being compared to me all the time,” said Jefferson on AP Pro Football Podcast.
Let’s be honest, not every pick will pan out in your favor, but this one must hurt for the Eagles. Even more alarming is their amount of games with 60+ receiving yards.
Games with 60+ Receiving Yards,
Career:Jalen Reagor = 0
Justin Jefferson = 25— Dustin Baker (@DustBaker) January 17, 2022
In Conclusion
No draft pick is ever guaranteed a phenomenal career. A lot can go wrong for a pick to be wrong. Regardless, Reagor has played majority of games when suiting up for the Eagles. The one reason this occurrence keeps getting brought up is because there is video evidence from the Vikings call and their reaction is priceless.
Both of these receivers are still young and have some things to prove. If these past two years mean anything then this pick could haunt the Eagles for a long time. Both teams needed receivers. One team got a record-breaking receiver, the other team got the rough end of the stick. These things happen, but Vikings fans will continue to count their blessings with the Eagles passing on Justin Jefferson.
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