FOXBORO, Mass. — New England Patriots cornerback JC Jackson caught a lot of people by surprise in 2018 when the undrafted free agent emerged as a starter midway through the season.
Jackson let up just 22 catches on 42 targets for 262 yards with no touchdowns allowed and three interceptions in 13 games with five starts. He shut down Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster in Week 15 and had the lowest passer rating allowed among qualified cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus‘ numbers.
So, how did he stay humble this offseason after such an impressive rookie campaign?
“I mean, I didn’t really do anything last year,” Jackson said. “I made some plays.”
A reporter noted Jackson was pretty good last year.
“I can do better,” Jackson said. “You know what I’m saying? I made a lot of mistakes last year too. I feel like I could do way better this year.”
Jackson started the summer below Stephon Gilmore, Jason McCourty and Jonathan Jones on the Patriots’ depth chart despite his 2018 season. So, did he take it as a challenge?
“No, not really,” Jackson said. “Just happy to be here, man. Happy to be on the roster. Happy to help this team with whatever they need me to do.”
The Patriots have high hopes for Jackson, but there are some concerns about the cornerback for the same reasons he went undrafted coming out of Maryland. It was probably best not to inflate his ego too early by making him a starter over the summer. He could take on a big role once the season begins Sunday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers, however.
