Vikings OC reveals Justin Jefferson will play the slot: 'That's something he's exceptional at'

Jefferson will get the opportunity to play the slot in 2020

The Minnesota Vikings are looking to replace the production from Stefon Diggs last season, and are hoping Justin Jefferson can fill the void. Jefferson isn't the same kind of wide receiver as Diggs, but he excels at certain areas of the field. 

Jefferson was arguably the nation's best slot receiver at LSU, a position at which the Vikings are going to make sure he has the opportunity to shine in his rookie campaign. 

"That's something he's exceptional at," Vikings offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak said Wednesday, via Chad Graff of The Athletic. "He'll move inside quite a bit."

Jefferson's success in the slot can not be overlooked, as the Vikings appear to be making the correct decision with their first-round pick. Per Pro Football Focus, Jefferson's 18 touchdowns in the slot last season were the most ever by a player since the stat was first tracked in 2014, and his 1,518 yards in the slot were the most since 2016. Jefferson recorded 111 catches for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns for LSU last year, and the majority of his production (obviously) was in the slot. 

The Vikings have Adam Thielen as the other starting wide receiver on offense in 2020, the first year Kubiak will call the plays as the offensive coordinator. Kubiak returned to the sidelines as an assistant head coach last season, a year in which the Vikings offense used "12" personnel (one running back and two tight ends) 34% of the time, which was second-highest rate in the NFL (per Sharp Football Stats). They also used "21" personnel 21% of the time (second-highest in the league) and "11" personnel just 34% (lowest in the league). 

The wrinkles Kubiak will use to enhance the offense will determine how much time in the slot Jefferson will actually see, knowing Thielen will need to thrive at the X and hoping Tajae Sharpe can emerge as the Z receiver. Minnesota will utilize multiple formations in Kubiak's scheme anyway, focusing on zone blocking and the outside stretch on run plays, which became clear after the trade of Diggs earlier this offseason.

The Vikings have time to figure things out, but they want excellent production out of the slot, and Jefferson appears to be the answer.