Eddie Jackson is the type of player that teams are going to love having in the locker room. He’s an exceptional leader, and that was reflected when he was named as a permanent team captain for the 2016 season.
Despite only playing in eight games due to a broken leg, Jackson still managed to earn Second Team All-SEC honors. In addition, Jackson’s bio from the school’s official website stated that he was named a midseason All-American by CBS, USA Today and ESPN.
Here is our scouting report on the former safety from Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.
Position: Safety
Hometown: Lauderdale Lakes, Florida
Height: 6-foot-0
Weight: 201-pounds
Projected 40-time: 4.5
Projected Round: 3rd-4th Round
STRENGTHS:
Jackson has above average athleticism that allows him to make rangy plays on the back end of the defense. When watching him pre-snap, you can see that he has a good understanding of offensive concepts. He does a nice job being a field general for the secondary, and that allows him to put others in a position to succeed pre-snap.
On the next level, don’t be surprised to see Jackson make an impact fairly early in his career. He can play as the single-high safety, but he also doesn’t mind rolling down and making tackles against the run. Due to his background as a cornerback, Jackson is comfortable in man coverage which will only help him on the next level.
You can line him up against tight ends and expect him to hold his own. He’s athletic enough — and long enough (32 1/4 inch arms) — to be fairly successful against wide receivers as well. Whether it be in man coverage or in zone, Jackson shows exceptional ball skills as well. He managed to pull in nine interceptions during his career at Alabama — returning three of those for a touchdown.
Another area where Jackson will contribute is on special teams. His value as a punt returner is only going to help him contribute early on.
WEAKNESSES:
Injuries are a concern for NFL teams as they evaluate Jackson’s potential on the next level. He tore his ACL back in the spring of 2014, and he most recently broke his leg this past season — limiting him to only eight games.
One reason for his frailness is a lack of bulk. He only played at 194-pounds this past season which is considered light for a safety that is at least 6-foot tall. Now, he did show up at the combine a couple of weeks ago weighing 201-pounds, so maybe he can continue to add the much-needed weight.
Another potential problem for Jackson is that he isn’t a physical force at safety. He does show a willingness to come up and make tackles, but he isn’t the type of player to strike fear into NFL offenses. It’s not who he is as a player, and teams need to understand that going in.
CONCLUSION:
Jackson’s injuries are going to make some teams cautious, but he should still hear his name called sometime late on day two or early on day three.
His skill set is one that will allow him to earn snaps on defense fairly early in his NFL career. It will be his ability as a returner, however, that will allow him to be an immediate impact player for whoever drafts him.
If Jackson can prove that he can stay healthy and maybe add a little more weight to his frame, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him earn Pro Bowl honors sometime in the future.
Clint Lamb is a columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “follow” him on Twitter @ClintRLamb.
