Donte Jackson

Cornerback | LSU | Junior

Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 175 pounds

College Stats

2017: Started 12 of 13 games played; 49 tackles (32 solo); one interception; 3.5 tackles for loss; 1.0 sack; 10 passes broken up; named to All-SEC Second-Team by coaches

Career: Started 24 of 37 games played; 114 tackles (85 solo); four interceptions; 4.0 tackles for loss; 1.0 sack; 20 passes broken up; one forced fumble; also contributed on special teams as a freshman and sophomore, totaling 15 kickoff returns for 328 yards

Combine Results

40-yard dash: 4.32 seconds (tied for first among cornerbacks)
Bench press: 7 reps of 225 pounds
Broad jump: 10 feet, 4 inches (tied for eighth among cornerbacks)
Jackson did not participate in any other testing drills at the NFL Combine.

Profile

Summary:Coming out of high school, Jackson was ranked as the No. 5 cornerback nationally by Scout, recording 59 tackles and 5.0 tackles for loss as a senior.

Jackson was a two-sport standout at LSU, garnering attention on the football field and on the track. Jackson was utilized in a variety of ways on the gridiron. He lined up at cornerback, nickel back, wide receiver, punt returner and kickoff returner during three seasons with the Tigers.

According to his NFL.com Draft profile, Jackson's exceptional speed on the track has translated well to the football field. Among his listed strengths are "loose and fluid with super-twitch" and a "smooth backpedal with very little wasted motion in transitions." Jackson has been praised for his closing burst, versatility that enables him to play on the outside or in the slot, and his ability "to bait quarterbacks" into throwing picks.

NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein projected Jackson to be a first- or second-round draft pick and defined him as a "cover corner with below-average size but **elite speed and athleticism**." Zierlein's criticism of Jackson is that he lacks instinct, but he added that the cornerback's closing speed helps to offset the issue.

"Jackson's athletic traits should ensure that he makes plenty of plays on the ball, but he'll need to develop better route recognition and focus in order to reach his full potential," Zierlein said.

Stacking up: NFL Media analysts **Mike Mayock** and **Bucky Brooks** didn't include Jackson in their top-five position rankings, but Brooks identified Jackson as being "on the bubble" heading into the NFL Scouting Combine. Daniel Jeremiah initially ranked Jackson at No. 20 in his **“Top 50 Prospects”** but bumped the corner to No. 28 after the combine. Jeremiah called Jackson a "special athlete" with his "best football ahead of him."

Two-sport athlete:Jackson was a star on the football field and on the track at Riverdale High School in Jefferson, Louisiana. He won state titles in the 100- and 200-meter runs at the high school level, and at LSU he was an SEC Champion in the 4x100-meter relay.