Tag: Bennett Jackson

Notre Dame’s top 25 3-star recruits since 2010

Just because someone is a three-star doesn’t mean they can’t be great.

In the world of recruiting, rankings clearly matter. It’s no shock that when you look at the best teams nationally, they’re the ones who usually ranked the highest in team recruiting rankings during the previous three or four years.  Maybe the top team doesn’t always have the top class, but you can bet they’re in or right there with the top-five nationally.

Another key part of recruiting comes to finding those diamonds in the rough.  That isn’t to knock three-star talents, but the hype around them clearly isn’t the same when a five-star prospect visits campus or commits to a program.

We decided to go back and rank the top three-star players Notre Dame brought to campus dating to the start of Brian Kelly’s run at Notre Dame that began with the 2010 recruiting class. Here are the top 25 of those such players in the last roughly dozen years.

The 247Sports composite was used in each player’s star rating for this piece. 

Jets place DB Zane Lewis on injured reserve, re-sign backup safety

The Jets placed Zane Lewis on injured reserve and brought back the recently waived Bennett Jackson in a pair of Friday roster moves.

The Jets made a pair of moves in the secondary on Friday, placing safety Zane Lewis on injured reserve and re-signing Bennett Jackson after waiving him on Aug. 17.

Lewis, who was transitioning from cornerback to safety in training camp, tore his patellar tendon and sprained his MCL during Thursday’s joint practice with the Packers. Lewis signed a reserve/future deal with the Jets in January after spending most of 2020 on New York’s practice squad.

Jackson has spent the last two seasons bouncing back and forth between the Jets’ active roster and practice squad. New York originally claimed the New Jersey native off waivers in September 2019, only to waive him two weeks later and re-sign him to the practice squad. Jackson spent two months with the Ravens before returning to the Jets in December 2019.

New York re-signed Jackson in free agency last March, but he failed to make the 53-man roster out of training camp and was once again re-signed to the practice squad. Jackson was promoted to the active roster in November before landing on injured reserve a month later. Jackson re-signed with the Jets again in April before receiving his most recent pink slip from the team.

In his two years with the Jets, Jackson has recorded just two tackles.

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Jets’ Foley Fatukasi, Bennett Jackson star in ‘The Late Show’ segment

Foley Fatukasi and Bennett Jackson starred in a segment on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

Foley Fatukasi and Bennett Jackson got their first taste of late-night television after making an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Fatukasi and Jackson appeared in a segment of Sunday’s episode that offered a unique take on player introductions. Typically, fans will watch an NFL game on TV and see or hear player names accompanied by their alma maters. But what if those standard player introductions were directed by Hollywood legends like Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino and Steven Spielberg?

The Late Show has the answer, with an assist from Fatukasi, Jackson and other NFL players.

As you can see, the first player introduction was based on a scene from Scorsese’s “Goodfellas.” Fatukasi got to acknowledge his days at the University of Connecticut.

Jackson, meanwhile, was given the character name of “Benny Two Times,” a spoof on the “Goodfellas” character Jimmy Two Times. Naturally, Jackson called out his alma mater, Notre Dame, twice.

The next player introduction that featured Jackson was based on Werner Herzog’s “Grizzly Man.” He played the character of Timothy Treadwell. Jackson got approached by a grizzly bear while the narrator said there is nothing safe about playing safety. The narrator then gave a quick shout out to Notre Dame.

Fatukasi’s last appearance was in a spoof of Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction.” He played the character of Brett from the movie. Fatukasi explained to Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Jules Winfield, that he was Foley Fatukasi from Uconn. Jackson played a small role in that scene as well.

After the Jets recognized Fatukasi and Jackson for their performances in a tweet, The Late Show responded and said that “Oscars are being sent in the mail.”

How to watch the New York Jets and the NFL this season without cable, Week 14 preview

Here’s everything you need to know to watch the Jets’ Week 14 game against the Seahawks.

The New York Jets will pay a visit to old friend Jamal Adams when they take on the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

This will be Adams’ first game against his former team since the Jets traded him to Seattle in exchange for two first-round picks, one third-round pick and Bradley McDougald.

New York will be without many key players on Sunday. S Ashtyn Davis (foot), S Bennett Jackson (hamstring), LB Jordan Jenkins (shoulder), WR Denzel Mims (personal reasons) and OL Greg Van Roten (toe) have all been ruled out, with Davis, Jackson and Van Roten landing on injured reserve.

WR Jamison Crowder (calf), RB Frank Gore (concussion) and OL Pat Elflein (shoulder/ankle) are questionable.

Seattle will be without OL Jamarco James (groin/pelvis). RB Travis Homer (knee) is doubtful, while DE Carlos Dunlap (foot), OL Cedric Ogbuehi (calf), S Ryan Neal (hip) and OL Phil Haynes (hip/groin) are all questionable.

Here’s everything you need to know to watch Sunday’s game as well as information for the remainder of the Jets’ 2020 season.

New York Jets at Seattle Seahawks

  • When: Sunday, December 6
  • Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: CBS
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

How to watch the New York Jets and NFL

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New York Jets 2020 Schedule
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 13, at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m., CBS, Loss, 27-17

Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 20, vs. San Francisco 49ers, 1 p.m., FOX, Loss, 31-13

Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 27, at Indianapolis Colts, 4.05 p.m., CBS, Loss, 36-7

Week 4: Thursday, Oct. 1, vs. Denver Broncos, 8:20 p.m., NFL Network, Loss, 37-28

Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 11, vs. Arizona Cardinals, 1 p.m., FOX, Loss, 30-10

Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 18, at Miami Dolphins, 4:05 p.m., CBS, Loss, 24-0

Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 25, vs. Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m., CBS, Loss, 18-10

Week 8: Sunday, Nov. 1, at Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m., CBS, Loss, 35-9

Week 9: Monday, Nov. 9, vs. New England Patriots, 8:15 p.m., ESPN, Loss 30-27

Week 10: Bye Week

Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 22, at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m., CBS, Loss, 34-28

Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 29, vs. Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m., CBS, Loss, 20-3

Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 6, vs. Las Vegas Raiders, 1 p.m., CBS, Loss, 31-28

Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 13, at Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m., CBS

Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 20, at Los Angeles Rams, 4:05 p.m., FOX

Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 27, vs. Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m., CBS

Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 3, at New England Patriots, 1 p.m., CBS

NFL Odds and Betting Lines

NFL odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds last updated Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET.

New York Jets at Seattle Seahawks (-14.5)

Jets injury report: Jamison Crowder questionable vs. Seahawks

Jamison Crowder is listed as questionable against the Seahawks with a calf injury.

After finally getting all three of their starting wide receivers on the field the past few weeks, the Jets could be down two of their top wideouts Sunday in Seattle.

WR Jamison Crowder did not practice on Friday after he injured his calf on Thursday. He is listed as questionable against the Seahawks, but not practicing on Friday doesn’t help his chances of playing. WR Denzel Mims, meanwhile, has already been ruled out as he tends to a family emergency in Texas. Breshad Perriman could be the Jets’ only starting wide receiver who plays on Sunday.

OL Pat Elflein (shoulder/ankle) and RB Frank Gore (concussion) are both questionable. Elflein practiced on a limited basis, while Gore was a full participant.

S Ashtyn Davis (foot), S Bennett Jackson (hamstring), LB Jordan Jenkins (shoulder) and OL Greg Van Roten (toe) have all been ruled out.

With the Jets in need of safety help, they signed S J.T. Hassell. He terminated his practice squad contract with the Patriots in order to sign elsewhere. Hassell originally went undrafted in 2019 out of Florida Tech and was signed by the Browns. Hassell appeared in four games for the Browns and registered seven tackles but spent the majority of his rookie season on their practice squad.

As for the Seahawks, OL Jamarco James (groin/pelvis) is the lone player ruled out for Seattle. RB Travis Homer (knee) is doubtful. DE Carlos Dunlap (foot), OL Cedric Ogbuehi (calf), S Ryan Neal (hip) and OL Phil Haynes (hip/groin) are questionable.

Jets injury report: Greg Van Roten, Ashtyn Davis could be done for season

Both Greg Van Roten and Ashtyn Davis could be out for the remainder of the year with injuries.

The Jets may have lost two key starters for the season in Sunday’s 31-28 loss to the Raiders.

Adam Gase said Monday that RG Greg Van Roten (toe), S Ashtyn Davis (foot) and S Bennett Jackson (hamstring) all could be out for the remainder of the season. He did not provide an update on RB Frank Gore, who left Sunday’s game to be evaluated for a concussion.

Josh Andrews took the place of Van Roten, while team captain Mathias Farley subbed in for Davis.

Meanwhile, LB Jordan Jenkins (shoulder) is day to day. The Jets are still evaluating him. So his status for Sunday’s game against the Seahawks remains up in the air.

The 4 biggest surprises from a weekend of Jets roster moves

Jets Wire breaks down four surprising moves the Jets made during cut weekend.

The Jets were busy at work over the weekend, cutting down their 80-man training camp roster to 53 with the regular season less than a week away.

Throughout the weekend, Adam Gase and Joe Douglas had 27 tough decisions to make. Some were easy, while others likely took hours of deliberation. Some were also downright head-scratching.

With that being said, here are four of the biggest surprises from New York’s weekend of roster moves.

Cutting Jonotthan Harrison

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

In three years with the Jets, Jonotthan Harrison served as nothing but a reliable offensive lineman who produced when his number was called. That was not enough to save his job, though, as he was among New York’s first round of cuts on Friday night.

The decision to cut Harrison leaves the Jets without a true reserve center and down a leader, one Sam Darnold pinpointed as an invaluable presence in the locker room.

“For the last 2½ years, for lack of a better term, he’s been kind of like an older brother to me, showing me the ropes,” Darnold told ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “It’s been fun, man, watching him come to work every day. He works harder than anyone I know. Jon is an incredible human being, a great leader and a great friend. He understands how much of a business football is. That’s how we both have to look at it, but it does suck.”

New York will undoubtedly miss Harrison on and off the field. It’s tough to argue against Joe Douglas’ reasoning when it comes to offensive line personnel, but this decision is one that leaves plenty of questions.

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2020 New York Jets Position Preview: Safety

Jets Wire breaks down New York’s safety room with training camp and the 2020 season approaching.

With the NFLPA player reps officially approving the NFL’s proposal and training camp just a short ways away, it’s time to take a closer look at the makeup of the Jets’ roster entering the 2020 season.

After trading away Jamal Adams in a blockbuster deal to Seattle on Saturday, the Jets are left with a trio of safeties who can all contribute immediately. Marcus Maye is coming off one of the best seasons of his career after an injury-plagued 2018 left him with just six games. The newly acquired Bradley McDougald was a leader in Seattle’s secondary, making his mark as a sure tackler and box safety for the Seahawks. As for Ashtyn Davis, the versatile chess piece figures to play himself into the equation.

As training camp and the beginning of the regular season inch closer, Jets Wire will provide a look at each of New York’s position groups and what could be in store for the unit in 2020. Let’s break down the safety room at One Jets Drive.

The Starters

With Adams’ departure, Maye is the team’s longest-tenured safety and figures to maintain his position as Gregg Williams’ centerfielder playing deep.

Maye finished his 2019 campaign with 65 combined tackles, a career-high seven passes defended, one interception and one tackle for a loss. Pro Football Focus graded Maye 17th among the 85 safeties who qualified. He ranked 18th in coverage.

The Jets’ fourth-year safety made his money as the team’s last line of defense. Maye was responsible for some big-time plays in the Jets’ wins over the Cowboys and Steelers. In the Jets’ Week 16 victory over Pittsburgh, Maye made a game-saving play in coverage, breaking up a game-winning touchdown catch from James Washington with less than a minute remaining.

McDougald, meanwhile, figure to replace Adams. He is another player, who Williams can move all around the field, but he figures to be New York’s best complement to Maye.

Over the past two seasons, McDougald has quietly been one of the best man-coverage safeties in the NFL. According to Pro Football Focus, since 2018, McDougald’s 85.4 man coverage grade ranks fourth among safeties who have played at least 100 snaps of man coverage. Additionally, per PFF, McDougald’s 62.7 passer rating allowed in man coverage ranks fifth among safeties who have been targeted at least 20 times.

Depth

Davis, the Jets’ third-round pick out of Cal, should see plenty of action this season as the Jets groom him to become an eventual starter.

Davis is a versatile speedster with great instincts. While Davis’ home may be as a true centerfielder, he certainly has the speed, range and physical capabilities to play wherever Gang Green needs him to be in 2020 and beyond. He’s the perfect piece of clay for Williams to mold.

Matthias Farley is currently New York’s backup at the strong safety position, but he’s primarily viewed as a special teams player. Among the other players competing for jobs in the secondary are Bennett Jackson and Anthony Cioffi, who are both likely bubble players.

Outlook

In both Maye and McDougald, New York should have two sure-fire tacklers who can be blankets in coverage, assisting a weak cornerback group. Adams is a huge loss, but New York isn’t downgrading too much when considering what McDougald can bring to the table from a coverage standpoint.

Maye, McDougald and Davis have dealt with injuries between their pro and collegiate careers, so it’s good to have three safeties who should all eventually be capable starters.

See more from Jets Wire’s Position Previews series:

QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | MLB | OLB

10 Jets players in danger of being cut prior to training camp

Jets Wire takes a look at 10 players who could be released before the beginning of training camp on Thursday.

With the NFL expected to adopt a smaller offseason roster in the coming days, numerous Jets players on the roster bubble entering training camp are in danger of being cut before they even make it to One Jets Drive.

In an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19, offseason rosters could be reduced from 90 players to 80 or less for training camp. The NFL and NFLPA have already agreed to cancel the preseason, indicating that a smaller offseason roster could be the next measure the league takes in an effort to reduce the risk of players contracting coronavirus.

Smaller offseason rosters would mean pink slips being handed out before the beginning of camp. Jets rookies have already reported to Florham Park, but the rest of the team is scheduled to arrive on Thursday. That gives New York five days to cut its roster down by 10 or more players.

So, which Jets players could be in danger of being cut before the beginning of training camp? Here are 10 that could be shown the door before Thursday.

Avery Williamson

Syndication: North Jersey

Avery Williamson was already facing an uphill battle for his roster spot entering training camp. Now, his departure out of the Big Apple could be expedited.

Williamson missed all of 2019 due to a torn ACL, putting his future with the Jets in flux. Blake Cashman shined as a rookie in Williamson’s place, while New York added C.J. Mosley’s former running mate, Patrick Onwuasor, in free agency this offseason. That does not necessarily mean Williamson is on his way out, but it puts him behind the eight ball when it comes to making the 53-man roster.

Considering Williamson’s already-slim chances of breaking camp with the Jets, Joe Douglas and company could do him and the organization a favor by releasing him before Thursday. The Jets said that Williamson would get a chance to compete for a job in the preseason, but that can’t happen now that there won’t be one.

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Jets re-sign safety Bennett Jackson

The Jets have re-signed safety Bennett Jackson.

The Jets -signed safety Bennett Jackson on Tuesday, according to The Athletic’s Connor Hughes.

Jackson only played in two games for the Jets in 2019 and recorded one tackle in Week 15 against the Ravens. He started the season with Baltimore before being cut at the end of August. The Jets claimed him off waivers before the start of the regular season, but he was cut and re-signed to the practice squad two weeks later.

In October, the Ravens re-signed Jackson to the active roster. By December, the Ravens moved on from him and the Jets picked him up again. New York decided not to give him an exclusive rights free agent tender this offseason, which made him a free agent.

Originally, Jackson was a sixth-round pick by the Giants in 2014 out of Notre Dame.