Grades:
Strengths: The first thing that really jumps out with Jack is his athleticism. There’s no doubt that he is the poster (man) child for today’s NFL. He has the fluidity and flexibility to execute any task a defensive coordinator could ask of him. This was especially true in 2015, when Jack was often line up against slot receivers.
His comfort in space as a coverage linebacker rivals that of an experienced safety. He has light feet and doesn’t power step when moving laterally. This allows him to change directions without wasting much energy or time. Projecting to the NFL, his efficiency in coverage is critical in terms of versatility and dynamic impact.
He’s not your prototypical linebacker that will stack and shed effectively. He relies on his elite explosiveness and speed to evade blockers, specifically dipping his shoulder to force poor hand placement by blockers. This will translate to the NFL, although some improvement will be required with his hands. He’s a hard hitter and solid finisher in space, and violence as a defender will never be an issue.
He has good size at 6’1” and 232 pounds, although he does look a little shorter than what he’s listed. True defensive chess piece.
Weaknesses: Since Jack has worked in coverage so much and he’s benefitted from highly talented surrounding pieces, his run defense isn’t special yet. It could be his role at UCLA, but too often Jack is either too timid and late with reading runs, or he recklessly will shoot the first gap that is available. Sometimes he guesses correctly, and he has the athleticism to chase down ball carriers from the backside.
This will even show in coverage, when he’ll commit as soon as he sees the run-action. It’s an interesting dynamic to see him be so aggressive at times, then be overly timid. He must find the right balance.
My biggest question mark with Jack as a run defender is his struggles to read a lineman’s helmet. He’s pretty inconsistent with this, as he will wait and show uncertainty, or misread the play and commit too early. Experience and a more defined role could help keep Jack active and aggressive.
With his lack of plus length and good instincts as a run defender, a defense should limit his snap count as a pure strong-side or middle linebacker. He can certainly play at each position in nickel situations, but obvious run downs can lead to big gains on his side of the field if he’s playing heads-up on a tackle. He’s better off shooting gaps.
Outlook: Even with concerns about Jack’s mental processing as a run defender, he has the elite tools worth investing in. My ideal defense would have a versatile piece like Jack, since he can be the piece that makes the back seven of a defense almost impossible to predict. The way he covers space, both in coverage and downhill, is mind-blowing.
Jack plays hard and through the whistle. His physicality and violence is exactly what you want from a defensive leader. Even with some concerns, there’s a good chance Jack will improve.
What will help Jack ascend into a premier player is if he works on his hand usage in tight spaces, and trusts his eyes and instincts against the run. Ideally he’ll settle into a versatile outside linebacker role where he can shoot weak-side gaps and cover tight ends, backs and slot receivers on occasion. The upside is very high, and I expect his instant impact to be apparent.
Value: 8.6 – First Round
Comparison: Thomas Davis
His comfort in space as a coverage linebacker rivals that of an experienced safety. He has light feet and doesn’t power step when moving laterally. This allows him to change directions without wasting much energy or time. Projecting to the NFL, his efficiency in coverage is critical in terms of versatility and dynamic impact.
He’s not your prototypical linebacker that will stack and shed effectively. He relies on his elite explosiveness and speed to evade blockers, specifically dipping his shoulder to force poor hand placement by blockers. This will translate to the NFL, although some improvement will be required with his hands. He’s a hard hitter and solid finisher in space, and violence as a defender will never be an issue.
He has good size at 6’1” and 232 pounds, although he does look a little shorter than what he’s listed. True defensive chess piece.
Weaknesses: Since Jack has worked in coverage so much and he’s benefitted from highly talented surrounding pieces, his run defense isn’t special yet. It could be his role at UCLA, but too often Jack is either too timid and late with reading runs, or he recklessly will shoot the first gap that is available. Sometimes he guesses correctly, and he has the athleticism to chase down ball carriers from the backside.
This will even show in coverage, when he’ll commit as soon as he sees the run-action. It’s an interesting dynamic to see him be so aggressive at times, then be overly timid. He must find the right balance.
My biggest question mark with Jack as a run defender is his struggles to read a lineman’s helmet. He’s pretty inconsistent with this, as he will wait and show uncertainty, or misread the play and commit too early. Experience and a more defined role could help keep Jack active and aggressive.
With his lack of plus length and good instincts as a run defender, a defense should limit his snap count as a pure strong-side or middle linebacker. He can certainly play at each position in nickel situations, but obvious run downs can lead to big gains on his side of the field if he’s playing heads-up on a tackle. He’s better off shooting gaps.
Outlook: Even with concerns about Jack’s mental processing as a run defender, he has the elite tools worth investing in. My ideal defense would have a versatile piece like Jack, since he can be the piece that makes the back seven of a defense almost impossible to predict. The way he covers space, both in coverage and downhill, is mind-blowing.
Jack plays hard and through the whistle. His physicality and violence is exactly what you want from a defensive leader. Even with some concerns, there’s a good chance Jack will improve.
What will help Jack ascend into a premier player is if he works on his hand usage in tight spaces, and trusts his eyes and instincts against the run. Ideally he’ll settle into a versatile outside linebacker role where he can shoot weak-side gaps and cover tight ends, backs and slot receivers on occasion. The upside is very high, and I expect his instant impact to be apparent.
Value: 8.6 – First Round
Comparison: Thomas Davis