New England Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson is one of the best defensive backs in the NFL. Period. No argument. The question, at this point, is whether he is the best cornerback in the NFL. He should be in the conversation.
That title is probably reserved for Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs, who is having an insane season with eight interceptions. Not only has he shut down receivers (32/57. 584 yards, 3 TDs, 8 INTs), but he has also been a ballhawk, shifting the momentum of games with his takeaways. The same is true, however, of Jackson, who logged his sixth interception of the season in Week 11 with the Patriots routing the Atlanta Falcons, 25-0.
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After Week 11, Jackson has allowed 33 catches on 67 targets for 462 yards with one touchdown and six interceptions. That is arguably a better stat line than the one Diggs has posted. That said, Next Gen Stats shared an advanced statistic that indicated Jackson is the second most dangerous cornerback (and fourth most dangerous defensive back) in the NFL.
There are other players who deserve consideration, including Jalen Ramsey and Jaire Alexander — even if they’re not getting love from Nex Gen in the graphic below.
J.C. Jackson had another strong game in coverage, allowing only one reception on 3 targets for 7 yards, including an INT, his 6th of the season.
Opposing QBs have lost -23.7 EPA when targeting Jackson this season, the 4th-best mark league-wide.#NEvsATL | Powered by @awscloud pic.twitter.com/rfjPqYMzhk
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 19, 2021
Whether Jackson is the league’s best or one of the best in the NFL, he has played like a shutdown corner in 2021. EDGE Matt Judon may be the best player on the defense, logging his career-high 10.5th sack of the season on Thursday. But it’s a very slim margin. They may even be tied for the team’s MVP this year.
What’s even more impressive: Jackson is standing out in a year where he’s elevated from CB2 to CB1 with the Patriots boldly trading away cornerback Stephon Gilmore for a sixth-round pick. The deal put Jackson under tremendous scrutiny. Had he struggled, it would have been a massive storyline. But he hasn’t he has kept the secondary solid, with help from safety Devin McCourty and cornerback Jalen Mills,
Jackson hasn’t gotten the amount of love he deserves. It will be fascinating to see what comes next for him, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season. He’s eligible for the franchise tag, but you can bet he wants to hit free agency where he’ll make big money, potentially more than any cornerback in the NFL.
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