NFL Draft 2017: A Look at the Best Pick from Each Round
Fourth Round
Eddie Jackson, Safety, Alabama
Selected No. 112 Overall (Chicago Bears: via Los Angeles Rams)
One of the more popular Day 3 selections of the 2017 NFL Draft was when the Chicago Bears traded up to take Alabama safety Eddie Jackson in the fourth round. There was a lot of hype surrounding Jackson before his senior season. Jackson could have declared for the draft after his junior season and would have likely been selected within the first three rounds. Instead, Jackson decided to return for his senior year. However, he suffered a broken leg during the eighth game of the year that ended his season early. He fell in the draft due to his injury history. Along with breaking his leg in 2017, Jackson also tore his ACL in 2014.
Despite being taken in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Jackson won the starting free safety job and started all 16 games for Chicago. He had a great rookie season logging 73 combined tackles (55 solo tackles), six passes defended, three fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and a forced fumble. During a game against the Carolina Panthers his rookie season he returned a fumble 75 yards for a touchdown and had a 76-yard pick-six. He became the first player in NFL history to have two defensive touchdowns in a game that were 75+ yards or more. The great part about this was that it happened on the one-year anniversary of the day he broke his leg.
In his sophomore season, Jackson emerged as one of the league’s best safties. He had 51 combined tackles (41 solo tackles), 15 passes defended, six interceptions, two pick-sixes, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and a sack. Jackson did all of that in only 14 games. He was a vital piece of the 2018-19 Chicago Bears’ defense that carried the team to the playoffs. Jackson was named First Team All-Pro and appeared at his first Pro Bowl.
Jackson played great in his third season as well. He had 60 combined tackles (51 solo tackles), five passes defended, two interceptions, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Jackson was voted to his second straight Pro Bowl after the 2019-20 season.
The 2020-21 season was a down year up to Jackson’s standards. He had a career-high 82 combined tackles (63 solo tackles), five passes defended, and three forced fumbles. Jackson also had a fumble recovery as well last season. He returned the fumble eight yards for a touchdown. This past season Jackson played in only fourteen games. He had 76 combined tackles (54 solo tackles), two passes defended, and only one forced fumble.
Chicago took a chance on Jackson who fell because he was given the label ‘injury prone’. However, they drafted one of the best players in the league at creating turnovers. There are not many other defensive players in the league that have an opportunity to make a play with the football more than Jackson.
Honorable Mentions: