The Tampa Bay Buccaneers decided they needed to take a long look at former Louisiana State University quarterback, Jordan Jefferson. He showed enough at minicamp to be offered a contract with the Bucs.

Jefferson had been considered on the edge as an NFL talent. He  ranked 315th out of the 315 players rated by NFL.com at the league’s scouting combine in February.

But the Bucs see some brilliance in Jefferson, a 6’5”, 233 pound former team captain at LSU, and report he has an NFL-caliber arm.

First-year head coach, Greg Schiano said he feels there’s a lot of upside with Jefferson, and they are going to work with him and just take it from there.

Before the national championship game, Jefferson threw for 684 yards and six touchdowns, but looked out of place against Alabama, completing 11 of 17 for 53 yards and an interception. He went undrafted and unsigned as a college free agent.

It wasn’t until the Bucs invited him to Tampa for a tryout at their rookie minicamp last weekend that Jefferson got a chance to prove he can play in the NFL.

He made the most of the opportunity and warranted a contract and an extended look through the summer.