Janzen Jackson's road to the NFL has been a puzzling one, to say the least.

Beginning his collegiate career at the University of Tennessee, Jackson was ranked among the top high school cornerback recruits of his class. He saw considerable playing time as a freshman alongside now-NFL star Eric Berry at the safety position, and earned SEC All-Freshmen honors during that '09 season. 

In 2010, he racked up five interceptions and played in all 13 games, earning second-team All-SEC honors in his sophomore campaign.

But he was dismissed from the team prior to the 2011 season for unspecified reasons, and enrolled at FCS school McNeese State. Jackson and two other members of the Tennessee football team had been charged with armed robbery in 2009, and though he was acquitted of charges, Jackson was on a zero-tolerance policy up until his dismissal from the program.

After a year with McNeese State, Jackson decided to forgo his senior season and enter the 2012 NFL draft. He will now aim to erase his lingering character concerns by utilizing his natural talents as an athletic and hard-hitting safety.

At the NFL combine in February, the 6'0",190-pound DB put forth a rather disappointing effort in the 40-yard dash (4.64), but impressed with a 36-inch vertical leap. He's a quick-twitch athlete with fluid hips and possesses the cover abilities to contribute at any position in the secondary.

Jackson actually plays much faster than his 40 time indicates, and displays excellent closing ability. 

Jackson dishes out a crushing blow as a freshman in an SEC matchup.

Here's a partial breakdown of Jackson from the National Football Post's Wes Bunting:

A former five-star recruit who enrolled at Tennessee in 2009 and played immediately in the secondary. Is a good athlete with a “plus” first step, gets up to speed quickly and looks like a 4.4 guy in the deep half. Possesses a solid feel when asked to decipher routes in front of him. Takes good angles toward the throw, can undercut routes and exhibits “plus” ball skills. Showcases a good closing burst and settles his feet well when asked to track vertically and adjust to the throw.

Although surviving training camp is by no means a guarantee, Jackson plays with a fearless demeanor and has the potential to be a high-impact special teams player while waiting for his shot in the Giants' secondary. He'll need time to become a more consistent tackler at the next level, but his skills and athleticism should translate well.