Darius Jackson, RB, Eastern Michigan: 2016 NFL Scouting Report
By Ross Woomer
Despite Eastern Michigan going 1-11 in 2015, senior running back Darius Jackson stood-out and put up a 1,000+ yard, 16 touchdown year.
In 2015 alone Jackson had five 100+ yard games and scored a touchdown against SEC powerhouse LSU.
Measurables
Height: 6′ 0″
Weight: 220 lbs
40-yard dash: 4.35 seconds
Bench press: 20 reps
Vertical jump: 41″
Broad jump: 133″ /11′
Strengths
Jackson is fast, his pro day 40 time of 4.35 seconds was .04 of a second off the fastest time at this year’s NFL Combine. He runs in stride and has the ability to turn on the jets and breakaway.
He’s good at quickly switching direction by cutting on a dime and makes defenders miss with quick stutter-steps. He doesn’t have trouble catching passes, runs strong, and doesn’t go down on first contact. Jackson has a high broad and vertical jump.
Weaknesses
Jackson misses some key blocks, leading to hits on the quarterback or minimal pick-ups. Although he catches well, he wasn’t involved in many positive pass plays as of late, catching for only 17 yards throughout the last six games, after catching for over 150 yards throughout the first three. Jackson will most likely rewrite this stat in 2016 but no player from Eastern Michigan has been drafted since 2009.
Potential Fits
Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
Final Thoughts
Jackson’s numbers on the field look nice but could it be because of the level of competition Eastern Michigan is facing? Probably not, Jackson works out really, really well. Both of his 40 times at Eastern Michigan’s pro day were under 4.40 and his broad and vertical jump would rank in the top five at this year’s NFL Combine.
Look for a team to invest a late selection on Jackson due to his exceptional athleticism.