For the Tiger faithful, the Jefferson surname is bittersweet, a reminder of both LSU’s iconic 9-6 win in the “Game of the Century” against Alabama in 2011 and a loss in the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game just months later.
In 32 career starts, former LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson notched 24 wins, while tallying 4,733 passing yards, 1,018 rushing yards and 46 total touchdowns. Despite sharing the Jefferson name with his older brother, junior safety Rickey Jefferson forged his own legacy as the Tigers’ defensive “Energizer Bunny,” sparking LSU with non-stop energy on and off the gridiron.
“Rickey can be entertaining all day,” said junior defensive back Dwayne Thomas. “His motor is always on 100. He’s always high energy. It’s just crazy. Even when it’s a chill day, Rickey’s going to be 100 percent. He’s our energy in the room.”
At first glance, the offensive and defensive divide is enough to separate the brothers’ LSU careers. But the Jeffersons didn’t always play on opposite sides of the ball.
Jordan always played quarterback, leading Destrehan High School to a Louisiana State 5A Championship in 2007 with 2,846 passing yards and 24 touchdowns during his senior season.
Although Rickey spent every snap as a Tiger searching for ways to attack weaknesses in an opponent’s offensive schemes, he established himself as a consensus four-star wide receiver prospect at Destrehan.
Rickey led the Wildcats with 36 receptions for 562 yards and five touchdowns as a senior in 2012.
Along with sharing offensive success at Destrehan, the pair’s LSU connection stems from the Tigers’ coach Les Miles, establishing an integral tie between the “Mad Hatter” and Jefferson family.
“I love the fact that he became an LSU Tiger because I was,” Jordan said. “I know the brotherhood. I know the family meaning that they have behind the LSU brand. I’m just happy that he became a part of the LSU family.”
Once Rickey stepped into the Tigers’ practice facility, he began what his brother called a “three-year transition” of becoming a defensive player, separating himself from Jordan’s offensive reputation.
Although he played in only seven games during his rookie season in 2013, Rickey became crucial to the Tigers’ nickel and dime packages in 2014, participating in all 13 games and tallying 23 tackles and tying two other Tigers for a team-leading two interceptions.
The consensus among Rickey’s defensive back counter parts on the reason for his quick and successful transition to the other side of the ball is his relentless motor, which brings a dynamic competitiveness to each play, even in practice.
“Sometimes, he’s a lot more physical than other guys at practice from the standpoint of him just being himself,” said sophomore wide receiver Malachi Dupre. “Some guys can go out there and practice full speed without hitting anybody. But I feel like Rickey’s actual game of football is always having the tendency to end physically. He’s a competitor, and he goes hard.”
In 2015, Rickey stepped up his play to a different level as he took over a starting role for injured senior safety Jalen Mills, alongside sophomore safety Jamal Adams.
Through his seven starts beside Adams, the duo combined for 63 tackles, including three tackles for loss and nine passes defended.
“I like seeing [Adams and Rickey] during the game together,” Thomas said. “Rickey goes crazy because he wants to make a lot of plays, and Jamal wants to make a lot of plays. It’s a competition in our room. We all want to make plays.”
A key part of Rickey’s game is his ability to come down from his safety spot and lay hits in the run game, which junior cornerback Tre’Davious White and the rest of the defense thrive on.
“That’s what he loves to do,” White said. “He is always talking about laying somebody out, then going on the field and really doing it. Then we get home, and he tells me, ‘I told you what I was going to do.’ He’s a guy that is confident in his abilities, and I love that about him.”
Whether he’s dancing on the field during warmups or joking around with teammates, Rickey’s infectious energy on the field seeps into all aspects of his life, which his roommates of two years, junior linebacker Kendell Beckwith and White, lovingly attest to.
“Off the field, I love the guy,” White said. “Blood wouldn’t make us closer. I love Rickey. He’s the ultimate fool off the field, so funny. Anytime [you’re] down, be around Rickey and your spirits will definitely be up.”