Chicago Bears coach compares former Alabama S Eddie Jackson to a Hall of Famer
By Adam Spencer
Published:
When the Chicago Bears selected former Alabama S Eddie Jackson in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, many praised the pick, calling it one of the steals of the draft.
That’s because Jackson, a talented player for the Crimson Tide, fell further than expected due to a leg injury suffered during his senior season in Tuscaloosa.
However, Jackson is fully healed now and has been making an impact at Bears’ training camp, where coach John Fox went as far as to compare the rookie defender to a Hall of Famer (via the Chicago Sun-Times):
“He’s been a return man, particularly tracking punts,” Fox said. “Typically those guys — going as far back as a guy like [Hall of Famer] Rod Woodson — they have good ball skills, and he seems to do that pretty naturally.”
Fox went on to credit Alabama for consistently producing NFL-ready players. He complimented coach Nick Saban especially for Jackson’s development over the years:
“He’s a very sharp guy, a very aware player, especially for a young guy,” Fox said. “Kids who come out of Alabama get pretty much a good taste of pro defense, particularly from a coverage standpoint — Nick [Saban] having been a secondary coach in the NFL for a long time. So they’re well-schooled.”
What role Jackson will have for the Bears as a rookie remains to be seen, but it seems as if he’s earning the trust of Fox and the Chicago coaching staff.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
