Tramel's ScissorTales: Ex-Sooner Tony Jefferson still making 2013 NFL Draft look silly

Tony Jefferson went undrafted 10 years ago.

Made no sense then, makes no sense now.

Oh, we know all the factors that sent the OU safety spiraling down the list of National Football League prospects. Limited size. Mediocre speed. A disputed draft report that questioned Jefferson’s work ethic. A glut of safeties in that particular draft.

But at some point, you’ve got to watch the games. And the hard-hitting, ballhawking Jefferson was a ballplayer. 

OU has spent more than 20 years searching for the next Roy Williams, the Superman safety. Only Jefferson was even in the discussion.

And here in 2023, Jefferson has proved the draft decision-makers wrong. Jefferson still is going strong, playing a key role for the upstart New York Giants, who play Philadelphia in the Super Bowl quarterfinals Saturday night in Philly.

More:OU football sets date for Sooners' 2023 spring game

Of the 254 players selected in the 2013 NFL Draft, only 49 have had better careers than Jefferson’s, as determined by profootball-reference.com’s metrics. Only 41 have played more NFL games than Jefferson’s 113.

Only a few ex-Sooners have gone on to solid pro careers after being bypassed in the draft. Wahoo McDaniel, a 1960s linebacker in the American Football League. Tailback James Allen 25 years ago. Current Washington punter Tress Way. Tailback Damien Williams.

But Jefferson joined the list. He signed with the Arizona Cardinals after going undrafted, became a mainstay and played four years. Then Jefferson jumped to the Baltimore Ravens and found a home on their renowned defense.

But the Ravens released Jefferson after the 2019 season. He sat out the 2020 season recovering from injury, signed with the 49ers in 2021 and was released in December after playing in two games. The Ravens retrieved Jefferson, and he finished out the season in Baltimore.

But former Ravens defensive coordinator Wink Martindale moved to the Giants and brought Jefferson along.

“That is family over there,” Jefferson told giantswire.com earlier this season, about the Ravens. “From front office down to the players, everybody. So it was very tough for me to make that decision. My heart has always been there. So that was tough for me.”

But Jefferson has prospered with the Giants. He’s played in nine games (missing some mid-season with a foot injury), started once and made a variety of plays in New York’s 31-24 playoff victory over Minnesota last week.

“I mean, I’ve been with Wink since 2017,” Jefferson said. “We had the opportunity to be the No. 1 defense in 2018. I had the mic, the headset (making defensive calls) in 2019. So me and him, we have a pretty good relationship. Not even just on the football field, but off the field.

“He’s my type of guy. We just kind of have the same thought process when it comes to being on the field and what type of players he likes. I think when I was making that decision, I knew going somewhere where I knew the system like the back of my hand would help me get what I want, which is to play football.”

More:Big 12 football schedule release delay exposes issues that reflect poorly on league

Jefferson came to OU from the San Diego suburb of Chula Vista, California. Jefferson started as a true freshman in 2010 and was an impact player from the start. Jefferson was part of the Cali Trio, which also included flanker Kenny Stills and tailback Brennan Clay. All played as true freshmen.

Jefferson declared for the 2013 draft, but his height (5-foot-11) and reach weren’t great, his 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine (4.75) was slowed by a hamstring injury and a later-refuted report about his work ethic all combined to damage his draft stock.

Jefferson originally was considered a second- or third-round pick. But he kept dropping and dropping.

“I took a chance, bet on myself, and it didn’t work out the way it was supposed to work,” Jefferson said in 2017.

But Jefferson’s NFL career eventually worked out. With some excellent Raven teams, and now a Giants team that is ahead of schedule and has a warhorse safety who loves to play the game.

Let’s get to the predictions:

NFL divisional round playoff predictions

Jaguars at Chiefs: Kansas City 34-23. Oh yeah, Patrick Mahomes is in these playoffs.

Bengals at Bills: Buffalo 26-20. Cincinnati likely has the better team, but the offensive line injuries mean Joe Burrow will be hard-pressed to produce.

Giants at Eagles: Philadelphia 23-20. The Giants believe in themselves, but the Eagles have the best roster in football.

Dallas at San Francisco: 49ers 23-17. The 49er defense is too much for a Dallas offense that isn’t rolling.

Last week: 4-2. Season: 158-104-2.

More:NFL playoffs upset alert: Ranking top four seeds based on who should worry most in divisional round

The List: Ranking the playoff quarterbacks

What’s the difference between the conferences in the NFL? We all know the answer. Quarterbacking. The American Conference has a batch of young QB stars. The National Conference does not.

Here are the eight remaining playoff quarterbacks, listed by playoff experience, showing the AFC’s top-heavy status, with QBs talented, experienced and yet still young:

1. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs: The 27-year-old superstar has made 91 NFL starts, including an 8-3 record in the playoffs.

2. Josh Allen, Bills: The 26-year-old Allen has made 83 NFL starts, including a 4-3 record in the playoffs.

3. Dak Prescott, Cowboys: The 29-year-old Prescott has made 102 NFL starts, including a 2-3 record in the playoffs. Prescott beat the Buccaneers last week. He also beat the Seahawks in the 2018 playoffs but lost to the Packers (2017 playoffs), Rams (2018) and 49ers (2021).

4. Joe Burrow, Bengals: The 26-year-old Burrow has made 47 NFL starts, including a 4-1 record in the playoffs. Burrow took Cincinnati to the Super Bowl a year ago and beat Baltimore last week. Look at it this way. Burrow’s career is just getting started, and he’s quarterbacked more playoff games than Sonny Jurgensen, Archie Manning and Y.A. Tittle combined.

5. Daniel Jones, Giants: The 25-year-old Jones has made 54 NFL starts but is just 1-0 in the playoffs, having beaten Minnesota last week.

6. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars: The 23-year-old Lawrence has made 35 NFL starts but is 1-0 in the playoffs, having beaten the Chargers last week.

7. Jalen Hurts, Eagles: The 24-year-old Hurts has made 35 NFL starts but is 0-1 in the playoffs, having lost to Tampa Bay last season.

8. Brock Purdy, 49ers: The 23-year-old rookie has made six NFL starts, including a playoff win over Seattle last week.

More:Dallas Cowboys legend Michael Irvin: Is Brett Maher's issue 'technique' or a 'brain tweak?'

Mike Boynton's adjustments work in Bedlam

OSU’s basketball team revived its season Wednesday night with a 72-56 Bedlam rout in Gallagher-Iba Arena. Credit Mike Boynton for making a change.

Or blame Boynton for waiting too long to make a change, contributing to a discouraging, three-game losing streak in which the Cowboy offense cratered.

In losses to Texas, Kansas State and Baylor, OSU shot .383, .333 and .304 from the field. The Cowboys’ three-point percentage in those games were .212, .227, .286.

But Boynton cracked the code with a different starting lineup. All season, OSU has been starting two big men – Kalib Boone and Moussa Cisse, until Cisse’s sprained ankle against West Virginia. Since then, Tyreek Smith has been starting in Cisse’s stead.

But not in Bedlam. Woody Newton, not small at 6-foot-7 but at least a perimeter threat, got the starting nod.

It didn’t work for a half. At intermission, OU led 30-24, and the Cowboys had made just 10 of 32 shots, including just one of seven from 3-point range.

But Boynton stayed with the more-perimeter lineup, and OSU exploded in the second half: 48 points, 54.8 percent shooting, 6-of-10 from deep.

“Obviously, you know, we've been struggling offensively, there's no question about that,” Boynton said. “Woody, he brings a lot of versatility to our lineup. And so I thought we'd give him a shot. Give us an opportunity, maybe to space the floor a little bit more for Kalib.”

More:How Bedlam win shows Oklahoma State's Avery Anderson III is 'getting back in his groove'

Boone and Bryce Thompson had spectacular second halves. Thompson had 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Boone had nine points on 4-of-6 shooting. Newton made all three of his shots, including two 3-pointers.

OSU’s big lineup goes against modern convention. It made sense when Cisse was healthy. He and Boone are perhaps the Cowboys’ two best players. Seemed counterproductive to alternate them.

But it also makes for some stodgy offense, considering Boone rarely drifts beyond the 3-point line and Cisse never does. The paint is packed, and OSU’s outside shooting isn’t good enough to draw defenders away from the basket.

Without Cisse, that equation changes. Smith is a fine role player, but he’s not a game-changer like Cisse, who can dominate with his defense.

Without Cisse, spreading the floor seems a lot more valuable.

Cisse returned in Bedlam and played two minutes. Maybe he’ll be ready to go Saturday when the Cowboys host Iowa State.

“I thought his presence, he made a big deal,” Boynton said. “He came in on 1½ feet and got a stop for us by himself, essentially. Anybody who doesn't recognize that part of our struggles has been because he's not in there, they just don't want to.

“He's the most dynamic player in our league, period. There's some other guys who are much more talented offensively, but no one can impact the game without touching the basketball like he can. And I'm talking both ends of the court. Because you're like, 'You don't throw it to him that much.' He only averages nine points a game, but because he's a lob threat, every time he sets a screen, someone has to come help. That's where you get open 3s from it.”

If Cisse is back healthy, going big probably is the way to go. Boone is too good offensively, Cisse too good defensively.

But without Cisse, spreading the floor was the way to go, and it paid off in Bedlam.

More:How did OU blow its lead in Bedlam loss to OSU? Sooners 'couldn't get a single stop'

Mailbag: NIL madness

The advent of name, image and likeness has brought a new economy to collegiate sports. A variety of reports say Florida quarterback recruit Jaden Rashada requested a release from his national letter of intent this week after his $13 million NIL deal fell through.

Derek: “$13M! Brock Purdy makes $800,000 for the 49ers.”

Tramel: There is much about NIL we don’t know. It’s definitely a cloudy, mysterious force. But this much we do know. The numbers we hear almost certainly are inflated.

Schools inflate what they are offering and what they will pay. Boosters inflate what they will give. Athletes inflate what they getting.

Otherwise, the numbers don’t work. A Florida group supporting the Gators is going to shell out $13 million for a high school kid who might turn out to be the next Tim Tebow but who also might be playing at Florida Atlantic in 2025?

It makes no sense. From where is that money coming? Where has that money been?

Have Gator boosters so intent on lifting the fortunes of their beloved program been hoarding money, waiting for this day? Seems unlikely. Maybe they’ve been shelling it out against the rules, but far more likely, they’ve been supporting the program in other ways, with donations for facilities and scholarships and whatever else big-time football programs use their money for.

NIL is not going to produce new money in a major way. It’s going to reapportion the money that’s already flowing through college football.

So anytime you hear about a $13 million high school quarterback, know that 99 times out of 100, it’s inflated. It’s exaggerated on one end or the other.

Berry Tramel: Berry can be reached at 405-760-8080 or at btramel@oklahoman.com. He can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including FM-98.1. Support his work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today. 

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: NFL playoffs 2023: Tony Jefferson still making plays with NY Giants