5 things to know about Vikings rookie WR Justin Jefferson

At age 21, Jefferson is the youngest player on Minnesota’s offense

The rookie pass-catcher is not quite the youngest player on the Vikings, overall. That honor belongs to rookie defensive end James Lynch. Born on January 19, 1999, the fourth-round pick by Minnesota in this year’s draft is younger than Jefferson by four days.

But on the offensive side of things, Jefferson is the youngest player on the  Vikings roster. He is younger than second-year tight end Irv Smith Jr. by eight months. The oldest player on Minnesota’s current roster, veteran punter Britton Colquitt, is 14 years older than the rookie receiver.

Two aspects of this particular age are intriguing. First, the Vikings have had luck with 21-year-old receivers. Randy Moss, Sidney Rice, Stefon Diggs, and Percy Harvin were all 21 years of age when Minnesota selected from their respective drafts.

As for Diggs, he will be 27 in November. So, if the plan to usher Jefferson in as his replacement is a profitable one, the young receiver has plenty of years to wear white horns as his helmet.

The Vikings can seemingly recreate Diggs’ tenure with the luxury of some extra draft picks to play around with. It’s a tall order, but Jefferson has the physical tools to succeed.