Elite receivers at the NFL level are separated by their ability to make contested catches in traffic and secure 50-50 balls on the outside. Jeffery has the strength and body control to bully smaller defensive backs, and then snatch curls, outs and slants before quickly pivoting upfield.
Alshon Jeffery is the second-leading rusher on the Bears with 114 yards rushing on 8.8 yards per attempt. He is second in the NFL in rushing yards amongst wide receivers. Only Tavon Austin, who is not being used as a traditional receiver in 2013, has more.
At 6-foot-3", Jeffery is also the tallest non-quarterback to top 100 yards rushing in 2013. It is truly an impressive feat for a player of his dimensions to regularly line up in the backfield, because he must be tough enough to absorb the punishment and athletic enough to accelerate quickly while maintaining a low pad level.
A long strider in the Randy Moss mold, Alshon Jeffery is averaging 15.8 yards per reception. Watching from afar, he does not appear fast to the naked eye, but at field level, he glides 15 yards in three steps.
There are plenty of NFL receivers will elite long speed, though. What sets Jeffery apart is his ability to concentrate while running full speed in order to make acrobatic catches on a weekly basis.
Here is what Brandon Marshall recently had to say about Alshon Jeffery: "I've always said this guy could be the best to ever do it. He's probably going to shatter all the Bears' records by the time he's done at the receiver position."
Teammates are prone to hyperbole, but when a second-year receiver eclipses 200 yards two times in a single season, it is hard not to imagine him compiling Hall of Fame numbers over a full career. He may soon add an MVP trophy to his list of accomplishments.
Most MVPs lead their team into playoffs, and Alshon Jeffery's play has vaulted the Bears into contention in the NFC North. If he continues to post monster games like last week's 12 catches, 249 yards and two touchdowns, the Bears will surely be playoff-bound, and Jeffery's name could be in the league MVP discussion.
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