The best picks of the 2018 NFL Draft in every round
Undrafted Free Agents
New England Patriots: J.C. Jackson, CB, Maryland
Every year after the NFL Draft hundreds of prospects who did not get drafted get signed by all 32 NFL teams to go to rookie minicamp. They hope to impress enough to get invited to training camp for the opportunity to make the roster. Then from there, these players have an uphill battle to get playing time on Sundays.
It is surprising to see how many undrafted free agents make up an NFL roster. A few of these players end up being important players for their rosters and make an impact. A select group of those players becomes among the better players in the league at what they do.
Former Maryland cornerback J.C. Jackson has defied the odds and has become one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL despite going undrafted in 2018. He landed in a fantastic situation with the New England Patriots who value defensive backs very highly. During his first season, Jackson started five of the thirteen games he played that season. He finished the year with six passes defended and three interceptions despite only playing 38% of the defensive snaps.
The following year Jackson started six of the sixteen games he played in. He finished the year with ten passes defended and five interceptions. This past season Jackson broke out in a major way. He started 11 of the 16 games he played in last season, racked up nine interceptions, and defended 14 passes.
Jackson’s performance this past season should have earned him Pro Bowl or All-Pro honors. But he was snubbed from both the Pro Bowl roster and All-Pro list. He has established himself as one of the league’s best ballhawks. His 17 career interceptions are the second-most by any player since entering the league in 2018 only behind Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard (18).
Jackson is expected to have an even larger role next season in New England and could very well be named to his first Pro Bowl and be named to his first All-Pro team next season as well.
The only other undrafted free agent rookie from the 2018 class that has a case to be placed ahead of Jackson is Phillip Lindsay of the Denver Broncos. In eight starts and fifteen games, his rookie season Lindsay rushed for 1,037 yards and nine touchdowns. That performance landed Lindsay at the Pro Bowl at the end of the season.
The following year he rushed for 1,011 yards and seven touchdowns while starting all sixteen games. During that offseason, the Bronco’s added Melvin Gordon to split carries with Lindsay. This resulted in Lindsay finishing last season with 502 yards and one touchdown after falling out of favor and only starting eight of eleven games.
The Broncos rescinded their original tender tag on Lindsay this offseason making him an unrestricted free agent. He then signed a one-year $3.25 million deal with the Houston Texans and is now a part of a very crowded committee including David Johnson, Mark Ingram, and Rex Burkhead. How Lindsay’s final year played out in Denver and the upward trajectory of Jackson’s career in New England is why Jackson is considered the best undrafted free agent of the 2018 class.
dark. Next. Why selecting Kyle Pitts was still the right pick for Atlanta
Honorable Mentions
Denver Broncos: Phillip Lindsay, RB, Colorado
Baltimore Ravens: Gus Edwards, RB, Rutgers
Seattle Seahawks: Poona Ford, DT, Texas
Buffalo Bills: Levi Wallace, CB, Alabama
San Fransisco 49ers: Jeff Wilson Jr., RB, North Texas
New York Giants: Nick Gates, OL, Nebraska