Cam Newton 2.0? KJ Jefferson Reminds Jimbo Fisher of Heisman Winner
The Arkansas Razorbacks are a dangerous football team
Not only are they a hop, skip and a jump away from being 4-0, losing matchups against BYU and LSU by a combined 10 points, but they also have one of the most physically imposing quarterbacks in the country in KJ Jefferson.
And Jimbo Fisher ahead of their matchup with the Hogs, Texas A&M Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher is well aware of the challenges that Jefferson will bring to the table on Saturday.
"It starts with KJ Jefferson," Fisher said. "He reminds me of Cam Newton. He's a 6-foot-5, 250-255-pounder or whatever they say. I know he's a giant. I don't know what they weigh him at but he's big, he's strong, he's fast, he's throwing the ball excellent. He's making great decisions, he's hard to get on the ground... Going to have to make sure you wrap him up when you get pressure."
Through the first four games of the season, Jefferson has put up impressive numbers, completing better than 70 percent of his passes for 918 yards and nine touchdowns through four games.
But what is even scarier for any opponent on the Razorbacks schedule, including the Aggies, is that Jefferson hasn't yet found his grove on the ground thus far in 2023, rushing for 128 yards on 47 carries.
KJ Jefferson tucks the ball to run vs. BYU
Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
But Fisher knows that, even though it hasn't come out fully this season, his defense must be on high alert for Jefferson's mobility at all times.
"How do you rush him? Which way do you force him? How do you collapse the pocket? Every quarterback has things he does well and things he doesn't do as well as the others," Fisher said. "You're always trying to force them to do the things they don't do well whether it's scrambling to their left or their right. Or sometimes containing the pocket."
So how can the Aggies disrupt a 6-foo-5, 255-pound quarterback with a rocket arm that can also run like a deer?
Throw everything in the book at him, and hope they can get him on the ground.
"There's different ways to affect him, we're going to have to do all of them," Fisher said. 'There's going to be times where he's probably going to break through a few of them. I pray he doesn't and our spies can get him on the ground."
The Aggies and Razorbacks are set to kick off at 11 a.m. CT from AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
