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SCOUT NOTEBOOK

2011 Preseason Skinny: Has started 21 of 27 games played entering his junior season and has tied Sidney Rice’s school record for most 100-yard receiver games (11). Jeffery is a dangerous, tall target that any quarterback would salivate to throw to. The All-American averages nearly 17 yards per catch for his career and has 15 touchdowns during his first two seasons for the Gamecocks.

2010 Preseason Scout's Take: Checking in at 6’4” and 237 pounds Jeffery is already bigger than most NFL wide receivers. The Gamecocks love to use that size and he is already developing into a go-to guy in the red zone (six touchdown receptions) where it is nearly impossible to defend the long-limbed pass catcher if the ball is put in the right place. Sadly for Steve Spurrier’s crew, on-target passes aren’t exactly the norm, making Jeffery’s 763 receiving yards as a true freshman that much more impressive. He didn’t start out quickly, with just five receptions through the first five games of the season, but went on a tear beginning with his seven-catch, 138-yard, three-touchdown explosion against Kentucky. For a seven-game stretch in which he made 38 of his 46 receptions on the season, Jeffery nearly averaged five grabs per game and posted 100-yard efforts against Vanderbilt and Arkansas. Not just a weapon on jump balls, the South Carolina native understands how to use his large frame to shield defenders away from the football. He is a reliable target who also made some of the most spectacular grabs in the SEC in 2009 which helped earn him numerous freshman All-American honors. Jeffery also flashed the ability to stretch the field, averaging over 16 yards per reception including an 80-yard scoring strike at Arkansas. Nevertheless, he lacks elite straight-line speed, which could limit his potential in the eyes of some scouts. While most true sophomores will be looking to get bigger and stronger in 2010, Jeffery should be working on improving his foot speed and overall quickness. - Scouting Wide Receivers: Class of 2013

LATEST NEWS

08/02/11 - Jeffery is a stud, plain and simple. He has great size (6-4/223) and usually can simply overpower opposing defenders. But he also has good hands and is faster than he looks, making him a matchup nightmare. He had 88 receptions for 1,517 yards and nine TDs last season, and should be a prime contender for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation's top wide receiver. If he worked with a more consistent quarterback - i.e., like the ones Spurrier had at Florida for most of his tenure there - Jeffery would be a threat to reach the 1,800-yard plateau. He gets so much attention from opposing defensive backs that South Carolina's complementary receivers should feast. But for whatever reason, that really didn't happen last season. Source: Rivals.com

06/06/11 - The 6-foot-4-inch junior burst on to the national scene last season with 1,517 receiving yards. More impressive was the fact that he dropped just one pass. In 2010, Jeffery had 88 receptions and 61 of them gained at least 10 yards. There have been only five instances over the past five seasons when a receiver had at least 70 receptions and gained 10 yards or more at a higher rate. Compare that to former Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green, the fourth pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. He gained 10 yards or more on just 56 percent of his receptions last season. Jeffery’s production is helped by a dynamic teammate who keeps defenses honest, running back Marcus Lattimore. In 2010, South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia completed 84 percent of his passes -- and averaged 19.6 yards per completion -- when targeting Jeffery after a play-action fake. Those numbers could go even higher this season as respect for Lattimore grows. (Lattimore will be featured in our look at running backs on Tuesday.) Source: ESPN

05/19/11 - Jeffery is coming off a monster sophomore season and will almost certainly come out early. He set single-season records last season for the Gamecocks with 88 catches for 1,517 yards and is also tied for the school record with Sidney Rice with 11 100-yard receiving games. As Kiper points out, the 6-foot-4, 233-pound Jeffery is a matchup nightmare for defenses and is a lot faster than you think. Source: ESPN