Jackson Island: Former Terps DB JC Jackson has dominated in single coverage
J.C. Jackson has been an incredible find for the New England Patriots, and he has been dominant as a single-coverage cornerback in the past two seasons.
Jackson played for Maryland from 2016-17, finishing with strong numbers as a defensive back. He finished his Terrapins career with 80 total tackles, four interceptions, and 13 passes defended. Despite all that, Jackson went undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft.
After the draft, the Patriots signed Jackson as a free agent. He made an instant impact with three interceptions as a rookie and increased that to five interceptions in 2019 while starting six games.
In 2020, Jackson elevated his game to an entirely new level. He started 11 games with New England’s defense and grabbed a new career-high nine interceptions, a mark that was good for second in the NFL for the season.
Beyond the interceptions, just how dominant has Jackson been in coverage over the past two seasons? According to Pro Football Focus, Jackson has held quarterbacks to a 36.6 passer rating when targeting Jackson’s man in single-coverage.
That mark leads the NFL:
J.C. Jackson has allowed a league-low 36.6 passer rating in single coverage since 2019 🔒 😤 pic.twitter.com/TIiUP5A8eJ
— PFF (@PFF) February 15, 2021
In three seasons, Jackson has 100 total tackles, 17 interceptions, and 30 passes defended. Can he be even better in 2021?