By Adam Abramson
I'm pretty sure Paris Hilton could figure out Louisiana State won a national title large-in-part to its fantastic defense if she watched a little film.
Everyone, including Campus Confidential, was quick to give praise to the Tigers' fierce front seven. But when you have guys like Glenn Dorsey and Ali Highsmith, you'd be crazy for not giving them their due.
However, the entire defensive unit was deserving, from top to bottom. Jonathan Zenon, Craig Steltz, Jai Eugene and Chevis Jackson were part of a secondary that ranked No. 9 in the country last season against the pass. Sure, much of this can be credited to that front seven's rush, but those guys couldn't have pinned their ears back if smart, physical backs weren't roaming around behind them.
The trusty Tiger back GMs should keep an eye on in April is Jackson. Playing for two different coaches in college, Jackson has played it all. In the clip, you see he can handle the zone, but that's not really a question about him.
After slow times at Combine (over 4.6), many are wondering if he can run down field in man coverage and give support in run game. The answer is yes to the first, and I'd be surprised if he couldn't to the second.
While his 0-40 speed was slow in Indianapolis, Jackson has showed fluidity in drills during the Senior Bowl (where he received rave reviews) and even at the Combine. Jackson followed up with another 4.6s at LSU's Pro Day, pretty much locking him into that speed, but his athleticism cannot be questioned with a 10-foot broad jump and a 40" vertical.
This is a class that's chock-full-o defensive backs, so GMs could shy away from Jackson in favor of big names like Mike Jenkins, Antonio Rodgers-Cromartie, Leodis McKelvin and Aqib Talib.
But as quarterbacks pine for taller receivers, they're going to need taller cornerbacks to cover these guys. Jackson is one of the taller corners in the class. While he doesn't possess the DeAngelo Hall speed, the explosiveness he displayed during Senior Bowl week makes it very possible a team like San Francisco drafts him at No. 39 if those aforementioned names drop off the board, as they should. Anything after the second round and you're getting good value if you pick Jackson.
Note: I played phone tag with Jackson's agent for a good two weeks. But, again, the Spitzer scandal -- amongst other big news stories -- kept me bogged down and I ended up missing that boat. My apologies.
Also, draft these guys:
Marcus Monk
Joe Flacco
Dustin Keller
Jeremy Zuttah
Ryan Mundy