2016 Scouting Report – Eddie Jackson, S, Alabama

At the beginning of the 2015 season, Nick Saban made the decision to move cornerback Eddie Jackson to safety.  While the move, at first, may have seemed puzzling considering the needed talent at the position, it soon became apparent what Saban’s vision was for this Crimson Tide defense.

Jackson picked up the nuances of the position almost immediately and proved to have the physical makeup and natural ability to not only make the transition to his new position, but excel at a productive rate. This proved to be the smart move as it not only took the Alabama defense to a new level, but also seemed to be the best change for Jackson’s future prospects in the NFL. In 2015, the (then) Junior posted an incredible six interceptions, 46 tackles, and even scored two touchdowns.

Rather than flip his successful 2015 campaign into a potential draft pick, he opted to return for his senior season. This may have been a smart decision, as his combination of physical traits and talents for the position will make him a hot commodity come draft time.

Measurables

• Height: 6’0″
• Weight: 195 lbs
• Year: Senior

Strengths

• Long Arms and Overall Length
• Ball skills and Range
• Football IQ
• Tackling
• Good Hands

Nothing illustrates Jackson’s ability in coverage more than his impressive six interceptions and two touchdowns. He was incredibly productive and showed a knack for making big plays. Jackson has good size for the position and demonstrated the ball skills necessary to transition to the NFL. He is a smart player, shown by his quick transition from cornerback. Despite being an All-American cornerback, Jackson willingly moved over and exceeded expectations. The Alabama defense never missed a stride with his move to safety and his football IQ was a major part of that. Jackson has good size for the position with tremendous length. He is an adequate tackler in space. It’s good to not his interception in the championship game earned defensive MVP honors.

Video below are Eddie Jacksons highlights from the 2015 National Championship

Weaknesses

• Quicker than fast, lacks top-end speed
• Lacks ideal size (weight, strength)
• Not Physical

While Jackson does display the natural range and ball skills for an NFL-level safety, he is more quick than fast and lacks the top-end speed to keep up with some of the NFL’s speedier receivers. If the play gets behind him, he struggles recovering unless the play slows down. While Jackson has nice size, he will almost certainly need to add weight when preparing to enter the NFL. He lacks the physical tendencies to play strong safety, often shying away from contact close to the line of scrimmage.

Final Thoughts

With the lack of elite-level safeties in this draft class, Eddie Jackson finds himself in a desirable situation, leading him to be a potential top-3 player at the position and an early round draft pick. If Jackson can improve his play diagnosis and add weight without losing ground on his natural range, ball skills, and hands, he could very easily be one of the hotter commodities at the conclusion of the season.