The Panini Senior Bowl’s slogan is “The draft starts in Mobile!” Pewter Report was in Mobile, Alabama, this past week so you guessed it – it is officially draft season! In a series of scouting reports, I am looking to dive deep on this draft class to identify the strengths, opportunities and fits for the Bucs in the lead up to the 2026 NFL Draft.

With linebacker the top priority for the Bucs this offseason I have been focusing heavy on the position. A quick rundown of evals already completed:

Draft: Sonny Styles, Owen Heinecke, Kyle Louis, Arvell Reese, Kaleb Elarms-Orr

Free Agents: Nakobe Dean, Devin Bush

Continuing to focus on that position, we now move on to Alabama linebacker Justin Jefferson.

Justin Jefferson Background

Justin Jefferson was the second-ranked junior college transfer in the 2023 recruiting class and the highest overall linebacker.

Allen Trieu of 247 Sports noted on his eval:

“Athletic prospect with burst, explosiveness and closing speed. Shows instincts for shooting gaps and timing snaps. Can change direction and get to top speed to close on ball carriers. Uses the same athleticism to make plays in coverage and space. Can also avoid blocks with his agility but has pop as a tackler. At 210 pounds, he has to add some bulk and get stronger to be able to take on blockers head-on more effectively. Has the tools to play for any program in the country though and should be an immediate impact player and NFL prospect.”

Justin Jefferson’s College Career

Transferring into Alabama, Justin Jefferson was a backup as a Junior in 2023, registering four tackles and a forced fumble. As a starter over the last two years, Jefferson collected 145 tackles, 13 for a loss, 5.0 sacks, one interception, five passes defended and two forced fumbles.

Here is a look at his production percentiles for 2025 among all FBS linebackers with at least 250 snaps.

Scouting Report

Games watched: Florida State 2025, Oklahoma 2025, Indiana 2025

Athleticism

Height: 6’1

Weight: 227

Jefferson is listed at 215 pounds on Alabama’s website and Pro Football Focus has him at 227 pounds. His combine measurements will play a large role in his long-term outlook, but he needs to show he can maintain his athletic traits at 220-225 pounds if he will reasonably stay on the field as a starter.

He has great speed to work the entire width of the field. Jefferson is incredibly strong for his size. He packs a punch in everything he does. Jefferson plays incredibly fast, especially in short bursts.

“Ouchtown – population you Bro!” pic.twitter.com/NEwVp3aK6L

— Josh Queipo (@JoshQueipo_NFL) January 26, 2026

Run Fitting

Jefferson’s speed is his biggest weapon as a chase-and-pursuit linebacker.

Ever wonder what happens when you put a HEMI in a compact car?

Alabama’s Justin Jefferson is what happens. pic.twitter.com/7krylY0Cpz

— Josh Queipo (@JoshQueipo_NFL) January 26, 2026

He can be too reactive when tackling in open space, but he is extremely adept at side-stepping pullers/climbers to find the ball. He uses his smaller stature to his advantage by taking on pullers by staying low. That gives him power well beyond his size. He also uses his size well by getting skinny finding creases to get into the backfield.

His speed plays up due to his confidence diagnosing plays and he shows plus instincts and IQ. Jefferson’s production profile in 2025 placed him in the 88^th percentile for tackle rate, 73^rd percentile for missed tackle rate, and 66^th percentile for defensive stops. He is a sound tackler, but his size gives him a limited tackling radius.

The biggest issue for Jefferson is that he is small for his position. There will be games where his size is a liability against bigger offensive lines and backs. And he struggles to get off blocks when linemen get their hands on him. With a smaller profile he won’t be able to make tackles off his frame or while engaged at a high clip.

Coverage

Jefferson’s closing speed is fantastic to limit yards after catch. He clicks and closes on underneath routes from backs quickly. He is quick to identify screens and plays to the flat and crashes quickly. He keeps his eyes in the backfield to use the quarterback’s progression to dictate his movements in zone coverage.

Alabama ILB Justin Jefferson – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Brett Davis

Jefferson has an instinctive feel for crosses and digs developing behind him, though his depth doesn’t always match the routes for him to make plays on those throws. He likes to open his hips against slot opponents to protect against vertical routes and adjust to underneath changes.

He can widen a bit too much and give up some inside releases up the seams. Jefferson is a bit more reactive to throws than anticipatory, but he did have a great rep against Oklahoma flowing into a window and anticipating the throw and getting a near pick-six.

Pass Rush

Jefferson loses some confidence and initial burst fitting the run when used as blitzer, as he appears a bit more unsure of his path and plan. When he sees it, he can be disruptive, but it’s a crapshoot. He can execute a plan to create opportunities for others well but still needs to grow at learning how to manipulate blocker spacing to create easier paths for teammates.

Alabama ILB Justin Jefferson – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Jeff Blake

His best rushes are from the second level where he can build speed to add power. He wasn’t asked to rush from on the line where his size would work as a detriment.

Best Traits

Speed/Burst/Explosiveness – his ability to close to the ball and pack a punch when he arrives is special.

How Does He Fit The Bucs’ System

Due to his size and speed profile, and his ability to work laterally with fluidity, Justin Jefferson’s best role is as a will backer. His athleticism would be a welcome addition to the room and allow him to execute some of the higher difficulty assignments, but the size concerns and inability to disengage from blocks make a starting role for him a blurrier outcome.

It also remains to be seen whether he could be a value-add as a part of the pass rush from a closed-box position on the line of scrimmage – his on-ball rate was in just the 38^th percentile in 2025. This is an essential part of the linebacker responsibilities in Todd Bowles’ mug-and-drop system.

Hear Justin Jefferson Speak

Part of NFL Draft evaluations are about more than the tape. Teams want to understand the person as much as the player. How do they think? How do they interpret the game? Who are they as someone who must integrate into a locker room? We can’t see nearly as much of this as teams do in their in-person interviews, but this year I want to help all of us hear more from the players that we evaluate.

With that said, here is a media session Justin Jefferson had as the Crimson Tide entered the College Football Playoffs this year.

At the end of the clip Jefferson speaks about how his speed is the bedrock of his game and how he can lean into that to be successful. I couldn’t agree more.