John Fox has been an NFL coach since 1989, a span of 28 years. It’s fair to say he knows what good football players look like at this point. That’s especially true for defensive backs. After all, he was one in college and during his brief pro stint as player in Tampa Bay. Then he coached the position from 1979 to 1993 before becoming a defensive coordinator. It’s his specialty. So for him to even hint at an Eddie Jackson Rod Woodson comparison? That is kind of a huge deal.
Here’s some back story before continuing. Woodson is a Hall of Fame player who reached 11 Pro Bowls in his career. That includes seven as a cornerback and four as a safety. His versatility and playmaking skills were legendary. As evidenced by his 72 career interceptions and reaching the Super Bowl with three different franchises. He’s also somebody Fox knows personally.
He coached Woodson for three seasons from 1989 to 1991 when Fox was defensive backs coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Not only did Woodson go to the Pro Bowl as a corner three-straight years, he also amassed over 3,600 all-purpose yards as a return man. During his time at Alabama, Bears rookie safety Jackson exhibited a similar array of skills.
Eddie Jackson Rod Woodson comparison being validated in practice
So why? Why did Fox feel comfortable dropping Woodson’s name in reference to Jackson? A big part of it was thanks to how the rookie is practicing. His instinct and playmaking skills have really begun to emerge. He was the first defensive back to intercept fellow Bears rookie Mitch Trubisky and as yet is still the only one. Then the next day he made another one on Mark Sanchez.
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Both interceptions were less mistakes by the QBs and more Jackson reading the play and making great breaks on the ball. That was exactly how Woodson did it so many times. Thus when Fox was asked about the Alabama product, he slipped his former pupils’ name in there.
Believe the hype?
Of course this doesn’t mean Fox expects Jackson to be like Woodson. It only means he sees the same potential. Jackson of course will chart his own path in the NFL. It’s just exciting to hear that possibility exists. The Bears haven’t had a proper blue chip safety in over a decade. There are plenty of experts out there who weren’t fans of his in the draft.
NFL.com analyst and former scout Daniel Jeremiah was not one of them. He tried to warn people not to overlook what Jackson could be.
“While this safety class is incredibly talented and deep, Jackson is still a player worthy of a selection in the first three rounds,” Jeremiah writes. “He should be 100 percent healthy in the very near future and his combination of instincts, range and ball skills is outstanding. He has played cornerback in the past and he has the ability to play in the slot if needed.
He’s also a very accomplished punt returner. He isn’t an overly physical force defender, but he is an effective tackler. Overall, I’m a little shocked we aren’t hearing more about him. He deserves some attention and I have a feeling he’s going to get it over the next few weeks.”
If Jackson pans out, the Bears will be grateful that nobody caught on.
