Justin Jefferson wasn’t yet a teenager the first time he met Odell Beckham Jr. He was a scrawny 12-year-old who was a fixture on LSU’s campus because his older brother, Jordan, was the Tigers’ starting quarterback.

It probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that Jefferson, a local kid who was born and raised in St. Rose, La., found himself particularly drawn to Beckham, a highly recruited freshman who was born and raised in Baton Rouge, La.

After watching Beckham become a college superstar, Jefferson eventually followed in his footsteps as a Tigers receiver himself.

“There’s a lot of history there,” Beckham said. “He’s been like family to me for a long time.”

What started off as a friendship turned into a brotherhood. They both went on to take the NFL by storm as rookies, first Beckham in 2014 with his spectacular catches, then Jefferson in 2020 with his incredible production.

As they kept tabs on one another from afar, Jefferson and Beckham romanticized about the idea of playing on the same team. That’s suddenly a reality after the Vikings this week signed Beckham, 33, to the practice squad.

“We’ve been brothers for a very, very long time,” Jefferson said. “The connection has always been there. We’ve always talked about this moment and being able to play with each other. Now, for it to actually be here, it’s definitely crazy.”

If it’s true that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Jefferson’s skill set is proof of how much he admired Beckham as he developed his own game. Just go watch their film side by side. They are spitting images of each other in how they attack defenders.

“I’ve always been a fan,” Jefferson, 27, said. “I kind of modeled my game after his game in certain areas.”

There are parallels that are plain to see, like the fluidity with which they get in and out of their cuts in open space. There also are similarities that are more subtle, like the little wiggle they put at the top of their routes.

“You don’t get to see too many times where somebody’s game looks exactly like somebody they watched,” Beckham said. “I watch him do everything I do in his own way and do it even better.”

As the Vikings stretched before practice at TCO Performance Center this week, Jefferson wore his No. 18 jersey, while Beckham wore his No. 9 jersey. There was apparently a method to the madness.

“I already joked with him,” Beckham said. “I said the reason I picked No. 9 is because he got half his game from me.”

Maybe the only element of Beckham’s skill set that Jefferson hasn’t mastered to the same degree is how he’s able to make one-handed catches with relative ease no matter who’s standing in his way.

“My hands aren’t as big,” Jefferson said with a laugh. “My one-handed catches are a little bit different.”

It’s unclear how long Beckham will be with the Vikings, and he’s not taking any of it for granted now that he’s getting to play with Jefferson.

“It’ll be amazing to get to see him up close and personal, and also get to see what he’s going to do for the rest of his career,” Beckham said. “He’s got chance to be one of the best to ever do it.”

It certainly isn’t lost on Beckham that if he’s elevated to the active roster before the Vikings play the Saints on Sunday at the Superdome that he would get to play back home in New Orleans alongside Jefferson.

“It’s crazy that that’s the opportunity that’s in front of me,” Beckham said with a smile. “Just trying to make the most of it.”

As for Jefferson, he recently returned to practice after dealing with a low ankle sprain, and he’s hoping to be able to turn over in time to suit up. The only other time he has

played in New Orleans came during the pandemic, when attendance was limited to 3,000 fans.

“I’ve definitely been fiended for it,” Jefferson said. “It’s been a long time coming.”

So has the reunion between Jefferson and Beckham.