Jester Weah, a wide receiver out of Pittsburgh, is currently CBS Sports' 19th ranked wide receiver and 132nd overall prospect, which means that out of 256 selections he has a decent chance of being selected at Thursday's NFL Draft. If his bloodline is any indication, there's no doubting his athleticism.
Weah is the cousin of George Weah Jr., who once played for A.C. Milan; and Tim Weah, an 18-year-old vaulting through the U.S. Men's National Team system. However, there's one other major name that Weah is connected to: He's the nephew of Ballon d'Or winner and Liberian president George Weah. George is the only African player to ever win the Ballon d'Or, an honor reserved for the year's best soccer player.
At Pittsburgh, Weah's calling card was, unsurprisingly, his speed. He averaged 24.2 yards per catch and 10 touchdowns in his second year, netting 870 yards on just 36 catches. In his final year, Weah had 698 yards on 41 catches with four touchdowns.
According to Weah, however, he wants to be more than a burner.
"It's definitely a big part [of my game], catching the deep ball," he told SB Nation. "But I look at myself as more than just being a deep threat. I feel like I'm a four-down receiver. I can be used in many different ways, and my body structure and my size and speed, I'll just leave up to the coach to do whatever he wants to do with me."
Weah is listed at 6 feet 3 inches and 190 pounds, and his motions look effortless. His athleticism could make him a valuable deep threat to a team that can utilize him properly. Weah ran a 4.43 40 at the NFL Combine and had a 38-inch vertical.
Whether or not all of that will translate to the pro level is something only time will tell. We've seen burners go both ways from college to the pros, but facing NFL secondaries is very different from the ACC. Perhaps Weah's athleticism is enough to set him apart. Either way, whoever drafts him definitely knows they're getting a guy with the physical attributes necessary to succeed.
