NFL Hopeful Michael Jefferson Severely Injured in Fatal Car Accident

A projected first-round NFL draft pick’s future is up in the air.

According to ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter, Michael Jefferson,  a star wide receiver at Louisiana-Lafayette, was severely injured in a car crash over the weekend in Alabama. His agent, Jon Perzley of Sportstars, said Jefferson required multiple surgeries due to serious injuries.

The accident happened Sunday night in Mobile, Alabama, and involved multiple vehicles.

Louisiana-Lafayette WR Michael Jefferson, considered to be a likely mid-round draft pick later this month, was involved in a multi-car crash Sunday night in Mobile, Ala., that has required multiple surgeries, per his agent Jon Perzley of Sportstars.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 11, 2023

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency released a statement saying that Jefferson’s Chevrolet Impala collided head-on with a Dodge Charger, which was driven by a 55-year-old man who did not survive the collision. It was reported that the car was also struck by a third vehicle. The driver of the Dodge Charger was pronounced dead on the scene. According to police, he wasn’t wearing a seat belt.

People reported that the third vehicle was a 2008 Nissan Maxima and the driver crashed into the Dodge after initially colliding with Jefferson’s Chevrolet Impala.

Jefferson, who was expected to be picked between the middle to late rounds in the NFL Draft, played for Alabama State in 2018 before he transferred to Louisiana-Lafayette in 2021.

His 51 catches for 810 yards while scoring seven touchdowns this past season had scouts predicting he’d do well in the NFL. The extent of his injuries wasn’t revealed so it’s hard to determine where he’ll be drafted or if he’ll even be drafted at all. However, Meagan Glover, a sports reporter at KATC-TV in Lafayette, Louisiana, tweeted that she was told by a former teammate that Jefferson is “OK and is responsive.” 

The 2023 NFL Draft will take place April 27 to 29 in Kansas City.