FAYETTEVILLE — Depending on the media outlet or the analyst, the standing varies for Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson among the best in the SEC.
According to Pro Football Focus' Anthony Treash, Jefferson is not one of the four best quarterbacks in the conference. Alabama’s Bryce Young, South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, Mississippi State’s Will Rogers and Kentucky’s Will Levis make up that group, according to Treash.
SEC Network analyst Tim Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at Florida, did not include Jefferson in his list of the five best SEC quarterbacks this week. Jordan Rodgers, who played at Vanderbilt, placed Jefferson fourth in his top five.
The Razorbacks’ second-year starter pays attention to preseason lists and projections. Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said this spring that Jefferson’s No. 14 ranking — out of 14 quarterbacks — by a media outlet last year was a motivator for him throughout the 2021 season.
This year he is not as concerned about what people say. But he does believe he is underrated in the conference.
“I am,” Jefferson said in an interview with SEC Network host Peter Burns on Wednesday at SEC Media Days in Atlanta. “I feel like I am, but, I mean, I don’t try to too much dwell on it. I mean, the only thing I’m worried about is playing ball and just getting back with my team and working.”
Jefferson finished last season with 2,676 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and 4 interceptions, and 664 yards rushing and 6 touchdowns.
Against Ole Miss he became the sixth quarterback in the SEC since 2000 to throw for three touchdowns and rush for three touchdowns in the same game. Two of the other five players — Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel and LSU’s Joe Burrow — won the Heisman Trophy.
Jefferson, in a way, compares his style of play to that of former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2010.
“Just the swagger that he brings to the quarterback position,” Jefferson said. “I mean, there's nothing like it. That's what I bring.
“Coming from where I come from, I’ve always been doubted. Adding it as fuel to the fire and keeping it pushing just knowing that I can’t just keep dwelling on it and looking at it over and over again. The more I look at it my mind is not in the right spot and I need to be out there working.”
Razorbacks safety Jalen Catalon understands where the Newtown comparisons come from, but he believes Jefferson simply wants to be his own player.
“He wants to say I did it a mile away, for sure,” Catalon said. “But KJ is a team player. KJ always wants to make sure he's right himself so he can be right for us. He's always holding everybody accountable and (in) workouts when we do skills and drills and stuff like that.
“He’s a great quarterback, great leader. And like I said, I know that's my quarterback.”