Bennett Jackson NFL Draft 2014: Highlights, Scouting Report for Giants CB

Bennett Jackson, CB, Notre Dame (HT: 5’11⅞”; WT: 195 lbs)

New York Giants

Sixth Round: 187th Pick 

NFL Comparison: Kareem Jackson, CB, Houston Texans

Height	Weight	Arm	Hand
5117	195	31 1/4"	9 1/4"

40-yard dash	10-yard split	Vert	Broad	3-Cone	Shuttle
4.51	N/A	38"	10' 6"	6.75	4.00

Positives

• He’s an experienced cornerback that was able to contribute in different ways during his four years at Notre Dame.
• Primarily a special teamer in his first two seasons, Jackson was a consistent contributor as a gunner and also saw a few snaps as a returner.
• The Irish play mostly zone coverage, which fits his skill set the most, as zone helps mask physical limitations.
• As one of the few cornerbacks in the class that specializes in Cover 2 schemes, he should be looked upon as a safe bet to fulfill that role, although he likely won’t be an upper-end player.
• Athletic enough to warrant developmental time and a roster spot for teams that need depth.
• A productive tackler that is willing to get physical against the run, he ended up being one of the top tacklers on Notre Dame’s defense two seasons in a row.
• Average speed over a distance, but he wins when playing downhill, running towards the line of scrimmage.
• Has off-man potential due to eye discipline and physical nature.
• Keeps his pad level low enough to stay bouncy—it’s harder to recover when the receiver breaks free on an extended play if the cornerback is straight up, and not in an athletic pose.

Negatives

• Has heavy feet during his backpedal and transitioning movement. This leads to wasted steps and rounding off routes.
• Doesn’t possess any above average physical traits, including quickness, fluidity or acceleration. His ceiling is likely limited to a depth player and special teams contributor.
• Has very little press-man coverage experience after playing in a heavy zone scheme.
• Allows a receiver to get into his body and subtly push off, thus getting additional space to catch the ball. This can be the difference between a goal line touchdown and a defensed pass.
• Overall awareness isn’t especially high, as he will run with receivers down field on rushing plays. Needs to keep his eyes on the backfield until the play is correctly read.
• Inactive around the line of scrimmage since he often waits for the ball carrier to reach him. Will need more aggression against the run.

Collegiate Statistics

Year	Team	Tackles	PD	INT
2010	Notre Dame	11	0	0
2011	Notre Dame	18	0	0
2012	Notre Dame	65	8	4
2013	Notre Dame	64	3	2

Personal Notes

• He was the No. 2 wide receiver in New Jersey as a high school recruit.
• Graduating with a degree in film, television and theatre.
• Twitter handle is @B_Jax2.

Ratings Chart

Graph made by http://nces.ed.gov

Overall

Jackson’s ability can be summarized in one word: "Average." He plays in zone well and can be trusted to control the sidelines, but his physical limitations could limit his potential to a backup defensive back and special teams player. For the team with the right scheme, I could see Jackson getting on the field.

Draft Projection: Fifth Round