He may not be the reigning NFL MVP, but Nebraska cornerback prospect Lamar Jackson still plans on making his mark at the next level.
A big, physical cover man who has been battle-tested by some of the nation’s top pass-catchers, Jackson recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about his experience at the NFL Scouting Combine, what led to his improved play last season, and what kind of player he’ll be in the pros.
JM: You took a big step forward in 2019. What changed for you?
LJ: It was really just my sense of urgency. I had some friends that fell short of their goals or got drafted later on than they expected. You see guys falling out of the draft altogether. I just came to a realization. It just prepared me for the future. I started to realize that I wasn’t where I needed to be. I had a big step to take. I just started to be more diligent. I definitely put in more work than ever before.
JM: What was your experience like at the NFL Scouting Combine?
LJ: The combine is a grind. It’s a little less than a week. It can be a little strenuous, you have the interviews, the medicals, stuff like that. It can get a little repetitive. You’re up all night doing interviews or writing tests or whatever. You’re up late at night taking a drug test or you’re at the hospital getting your medicals checked on. All of the medical stuff is very thorough. There’s a lot that goes on before it’s time to perform on the field. You just have to continuously remind yourself that it’s a blessing to be there. I just took it all in. It’s a process. I had a positive mindset. I was trying to take advantage of the opportunity. I didn’t take anything for granted. I got through the week and performed to the best of my abilities. I was trying to prove that I belong on Sundays. That was my mindset when I was out there.
JM: What do you think is the overall impression you left out there?
LJ: I think I left a good impression out there. I was able to show off some of my athleticism. I had some good measurables. I was showing off the God-given ability. I feel like I made my biggest impact in the interview room, though. I enjoyed all of the meetings that I had. I was letting everybody know that I’m a high-character guy. I was letting that passion shine through. They gave me a platform to tell my story. I left a piece of me with all of the scouts and teams that I met with. I had some great meetings. I walked away from them with a good feeling. We had a lot of great conversations. We talked about football and life. I was trying to sell myself. I’m a very capable and willing person.
JM: Did you have a lot of formal or informal meetings out there?
LJ: I had a lot of informals. I had formals with the New York Jets and the New York Giants.
JM: I imagine your private visit schedule has been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, but which teams you were scheduled to meet with or work out for?
LJ: I was lucky that our pro day was an early one. We got to squeeze that in before the outbreak really got out of hand. I went for lunch with the Chicago Bears after pro day. I thought it went well. A lot of other coaches and teams have just told me to keep my head on a swivel. Things can change quickly. Nobody really knows what’s going on right now. I’m just staying in shape and staying ready to go.
JM: What was the strangest question you were asked at the combine?
LJ: I wouldn’t say that I was asked any weird questions. Everything was pretty straight-forward. We really just talked about football and life. It was just interesting. You’re talking to the coaches and everybody is so different, personality-wise. You’re just learning really. Sometimes they wanna boost you up, other times they wanna talk you down. Each person presents something different to you. All of the differences were definitely interesting. I thought I did well. I just answered their questions to the best of my ability.
JM: Who are some of the best receivers you’ve ever had to cover?
LJ: Every school pretty much has that one guy. Most of the time, it was my job to follow their best receiver around. It could have been anybody. Tyler Johnson from Minnesota was a good one. Quintez Cephus from Wisconsin is another guy that comes to mind. Iowa had some good ones. I feel like I played well against all of those guys. Every team has their guy and I went up against a bunch of them.
JM: What kind of player is the NFL getting in Lamar Jackson?
LJ: They’re gonna get a high character guy. I truly love the game of football. I’m gonna be the best version of myself. I’m gonna continue to work on my craft. The goal is to get better every year. I love doing what I’m doing.
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