Scout- Alexander Amir
College: Maryland
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 201
40-Time: 4.46
Vertical: 35.5
3-Cone: N/A
Athleticism: 5.45
Q.A.B./C.O.D. 6.25 Has good balance and awareness, with okay lateral movement and COD. Decent break to ball as well. Flexibility 4.50 Stiff, slow hips following receivers out of their breaks Deep Speed 5.25 Has a difficult time recovering when passed, but can stay step for step if he gets a good bump. Explosion 5.25 Doesn’t flash out on the screen often, but has the strength and instinct to make big plays Coordination 6.00 Well coordinated movements, just slower than you would like
Coverage Ability: 6.15
Man Press 6.50 Very good at jamming receiver at the line, but gets beat too easily on quick inside moves Man Off 6.00 Keeps a pretty good cushion, good break underneath, but hesitant to attack the ball Zone 6.50 Doesn’t play zone often but reads QBs and routes well, willing tackler, doesn’t overcommit Hand Fighting 7.25 Great jabs at the line, keeps hands in good position when staying with receiver Hips/Turn Ability 4.50 Stiff, slow hip movement on inside moves, struggles to regain positioning on quick receiver breaks
Play Making: 5.67
Closing Quickness 5.50 Good read on QB, but is hesitant going for the ball- this slows down his closing speed Ball skills 5.25 Plays the man rather than the ball, but has shown ability to make nice ball plays Route/play Diagnosis 6.25 Has good understanding of space, but gets grabby at the top of routes due to his slow turn ability
Run Support: 6.50
Quickness Upfield 6.50 Identifies running lanes and attacks, quick break out of coverage when he sees that it’s a run play. Fight Through Blocks 6.50 Strong hand positioning, aggressive pushing through blocks, tries to be disruptive. Tackling 6.50 Willing tackler, could benefit from getting his pads lower, but is a forceful hitter.
Competitiveness: 6.58
Toughness 7.00 Gritty player who looks for contact and enjoys hitting- plays with aggressive hands. Production 6.00 Isn’t particularly explosive but doesn’t give up too many big plays, good tackler but hesitant ball skills. Consistency/Motor 6.75 High energy player but gets penalized a little too often because of that.
Intelligence: 6.33
Instincts 6.50 Identifies plays well, pretty quick breaks, sees running lanes. Learn/Retain 6.00 Plays almost exclusively on the outside but evaluates routes well. Teamwork 6.50 Stays in his lane in zone, passionate about the game and his teammates’ success.
STRENGTHS
Jackson likes to be physical and has good, strong hands both at the line and when staying with the receiver. He has good balance and spatial awareness, with a strong, quick break on the receiver. Enjoys hitting and identifies tackling angles, so he is good in run support. Has shown flashes of ball skills.
WEAKNESSES
He has slow, stiff hips when he tries to run with the receiver, making him susceptible to quick 1-step moves. He also does not have the deep speed to compensate, and relies on grabby hands instead. While he releases from coverage well he is hesitant to play the ball. This sometimes makes him slow getting to the receiver, allowing extra yardage. He is a little short as well, so he will definitely need to improve upon locating and attacking the ball if he wants to compete with taller receivers.
BIG PICTURE
J.C. Jackson only has two years of college football under his belt, but has lots of potential to become a starting CB in this league. His strengths come from his heart and head, as he is aware, balanced, and loves to hit. He will be a strength in run support but as of now is a liability against quick receivers. Jackson will need to develop much quicker hips and turn ability if he wants to be successful against next-level receiver speed and quickness. He also needs to become a more confident coverage man overall and attack the ball in flight. He will be eaten alive if he’s not willing to fight for the ball with the big boys. Team Fits: The Seattle Seahawks are quietly in need of a CB, and Jackson could be a project over the next couple years as what’s left of the Legion of Boom eventually moves on. The Denver Broncos are in need of secondary depth after the departure of Aqib Talib, and that defense likes hard hitting, gritty players. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will need a CB eventually to replace Brent Grimes, so Jackson could learn under him and Vernon Hargreaves. Player Comparison: Doran Grant. Prediction: Rounds 3–4.