2018 NFL Draft: Donte Jackson’s speed will translate well to NFL

LSU Tigers’ cornerback Donte Jackson‘s speed will allow him to fit in perfectly to the fast-paced NFL environment. Where will he go in the 2018 NFL Draft?

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Former LSU Tigers cornerback Donte Jackson has all the tangibles needed to participate in the NFL and contribute immediately, but one of his best attributes is his speed.

A regular in the Tigers’ defensive unit for all three years he was in the program, Jackson’s main forte was his quickness and elite athleticism he offered. With the ability to explode into any play, he also had the ability to match up with any type of wide receiver.

Jackson posted a career high 45 tackles in 2017, along with one sack and 3.5 tackles for loss. He also posted an interception and career-high nine interceptions. His numbers may not be the flashiest, but like any other elite corner his position, stats are often skewed due to the fact that opposing offenses avoid him.

Despite being avoided, Jackson still made his presence known on a lot of plays, which is evident by his tackle numbers.

Strengths

As previously mentioned, Jackson’s speed on the field and overall is unmatched. In high school, he won state titles in the 100- and 200-meter races, as well as other divisional and conference titles in other areas. Having started every game dating back to his freshman year, the experience and sample size is more than present and actually weighs more than a lot of other defensive backs in the draft.

In terms of tangible observations, Jackson has great burst and explosiveness to the ball and despite being under-sized, he is also a great tackler.

A great mix of speed and strength is a perfect combination for a player in an NFL secondary and what separates Jackson from a lot of other prospects in the same position is that he is not afraid to take on any runner, which makes him a great safety valve for halting big plays.

Weaknesses

At his size, it will interesting to see how well Jackson can tackle against faster and stronger athletes. While cornerbacks’ main area of focus is not primarily tackling, if he cannot provide that at the same level in the NFL, he will be asked to make a bigger difference in the passing game.

At times, Jackson was beat by clever route runners and his speed and explosiveness was used against him as he baited receivers and quarterbacks often times into thinking their was an opening. Some receivers recognized that and were able to counter his quickness with more methodical routes.

Next: Latest first-round post-Combine NFL Mock Draft

Draft Expectations

Jackson fits in nicely with the elite talent in the secondary entering the NFL Draft. All dependent on team needs and what kind of defensive back they are looking for, Jackson could be one of the first corners off the board, but could also fall into the late second round.

Additionally, if a team is lacking both a corner and a kick/punt returner, Jackson could serve as a double threat and become that much more valuable.

Projection: Late first round