Pats find gem in Jackson

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Three days went by, 256 names were called, and J.C. Jackson never heard his.

Jackson watched the NFL Draft come and go without him last April.

In his mind, he was one of the best cornerbacks on the board. He had the hands of a receiver and instincts that made him a dynamic playmaker.

So even though 29 corners were taken instead of him, Jackson still believed there was a place for him in the league.

“You come in undrafted, you’ve got a lot to prove, man,” Jackson said. “You’re the underdog. Don’t nobody really know you. That’s how I look at it. I’ve got a chip on my shoulder.

“I feel like I was better than the DBs that got drafted ahead of me. So I feel like I’ve got something to prove.”

Since signing with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent, getting first-team reps during the preseason, and ultimately making the opening roster, Jackson has made his mark as a rookie playing in a secondary stocked with veteran talent.

In nine games, Jackson has made 11 tackles, picked off two passes, and de- flected three more. Over the past six weeks, he has played a bigger role, making his first start last week against the Vikings and playing 89 percent of the defensive snaps, according to FootballOutsiders.com.

“J.C.’s really improved a lot over the course of the year, and he’s gotten a lot better,” said coach Bill Belichick. “He takes coaching well, he understands what maybe he needs to see or the technique he needs to use or how he can improve what he’s doing, and then he works on it and he gets better at it.

“He’s done that all year and he continues to do it. He’s got good ball skills, he can catch the ball, and he has good hand-eye coordination to get his hands on the ball to break up plays.”

Cornerback Stephon Gilmore recognized a special skill set in Jackson.

“He’s got great ball skills,” Gilmore said. “Every time we’re on the field, he’s always around the ball, always making plays, so that’s one thing that stood out.”

Having veterans such as Gilmore in the secondary has allowed Jackson to come along quickly.

“They’re just soaking me up in the game, man,” Jackson said. “They’re vets, 10 years, they’ve played a lot of football.”