DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk NFL Draft 2026 Pick #149 Alabama LB Justin Jefferson

Dane Brugler's write-up on Jefferson...

BACKGROUND
Justin Jefferson, one of four children (two boys, two girls) in his family, grew up in Memphis, Tenn., with his mother (Teresa), a police
officer. Jefferson started playing football at age 5 and was a quarterback, running back and linebacker throughout Pop Warner. He was
an “active kid,” and his mom signed him up for different activities to exert his energy, including jiu-jitsu and kickboxing.

Jefferson attended Bartlett High School, just outside of Memphis. After playing on the freshman team, he moved up to varsity and
became part of the linebacker rotation, posting 26 tackles. After a .500 season in 2018, Jefferson helped Bartlett to a winning record
and a spot in the 2019 Class 6A state playoffs. As a senior, Jefferson was an all-state and all-region linebacker, with 116 tackles, three
sacks, one forced fumble and a pair of interceptions (which he returned for a combined 117 yards and two touchdowns). He also caught
two passes, both for touchdowns, including a game-winning score in overtime of the 2020 regional championship, as Bartlett finished
10-2. Jefferson also ran track as a senior at Bartlett, posting personal bests of 11.28 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 23.36 in the 200.
A no-star recruit, Jefferson wasn’t ranked by 247 Sports Composite in the 2021 class. He picked up his first scholarship offer from FCS
Southeast Missouri State (April 2020). By the end of his senior season, Jefferson had added offers from Austin Peay, Eastern Illinois,
Tennessee State, UT-Martin and Western Illinois, but he didn’t qualify academically and was unable to commit on signing day. Instead,
Jefferson looked at junior college options and joined one of his high school teammates at Pearl River (Miss.) Community College. After
posting 57 tackles as a freshman, he had 86 as a sophomore in 2022.

Jefferson was the top-ranked juco linebacker (and No. 2 juco recruit overall) in the 2023 class. He received dozens of offers, including
from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M and USC. Jefferson committed to the Tide and was the
14th-ranked recruit in former head coach Nick Saban’s 2023 class. After the 2024 season, he took advantage of a new NCAA rule that
awarded an extra year of eligibility for former junior college athletes.

Jefferson graduated with a degree in sport management (December 2025). He accepted his invitation to the Senior Bowl but pulled out
because of a minor injury.

STRENGTHS
● Flies to the football and covers a large area in a short time
● Closes on ball carriers with burst, exploding through targets
● Sharp pursuit angles to sideline, shutting down perimeter lanes
● Packed on muscle to frame and has adequate length
● Mirrors eyes of the QB in drop zones
● Violent hands at catch point to turn catches into incompletions
● Explosive blitzer and spy, with untapped potential in both areas
● Competitive kid who puts in time and effort off the field
● Boasts skill set to be core-four special teamer

WEAKNESSES
● Undersized body type by NFL standards
● Sucked up and spit out by offensive linemen
● More likely to try to run around blockers than to use his hands to work off them
● False stepper and reacts to first movement
● Runs pursuit into contact and needs to use better tempo
● Can do a better job feeling route relationships behind him
● Quarterbacks will look for — and attack — his area in coverage
● Struggles to nail down playbook kept him off the field in 2023
● Only one full season as a starter

SUMMARY
A one-year starter at Alabama, Jefferson played the Mike linebacker role in defensive coordinator Kane Wommack’s multiple scheme.
The junior college transfer had a tough first year as he adapted to SEC standards under Nick Saban, but his comfort level started to grow
the past two seasons. He stepped in for an injured Deontae Lawson in 2024 as the “Stinger” linebacker before taking over Jihaad
Campbell’s spot in 2025.

Jefferson is an undersized yet compact, rocked-up athlete, with the pursuit speed to impact the game in numerous ways. His skills
diagnosing plays appeared to improve as he got deeper into the 2025 season, although it won’t be as easy at the next level to make up for
all his wasted steps. He is a twitchy tackler but needs to use that same physicality when attacking blocks. Overall, Jefferson is still
working through the mental part of the position, but he makes plays based on his urgent athleticism and movement
ability in space. His special teams value and upside on defense are enough to earn a roster spot.

Special teamer

Probably so, at least to start. Who knows as time goes on?

To the special teamer tag, that is fine. Teams don't just seek starters. Teams also look to build the bottom of the roster. We have a fair number of guys at the bottom of our roster that don't need to be on the team come Sept. If he can push one of those other guys off the roster, we are stronger for it, making it a win.