Bleacher Report Piece Underscores a Massive Miss for Vikings in 2018 Draft
K. Joudry
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J.C. Jackson would have been the perfect fit for the Vikings in 2022. One has to think that the team was interested, but his cost was likely prohibitive. Making matters even worse is that the Vikings could have drafted him in 2018, as a recent Bleacher Report article pointed out.
At 30th overall, the Vikings opted for Mike Hughes. The hope was that he’d be an upgrade at punt returner and that he’d be a strong slot corner. These hopes didn’t materialize.
His time with the Vikings ended before the 2021 season, for he was traded to Kansas City for just a 6th-round pick. The crazy thing is that Minnesota also included a 7th, so Rick Spielman didn’t even get a brand new pick. Instead, he just upgraded his pick by a few slots at the very of the draft.
Making matters even worse, as Bleacher Report suggests, is that the Vikings could have had Jackson. They suggest he should have been taken 30th:
Coming out of Maryland, the scouting report at NFL.com on J.C. Jackson tabbed the 5’10”, 201-pounder as a fifth- or sixth-round pick. One NFC director of player personnel said of him, “Nothing special right now, but he’ll get better.”
That last part has certainly held true. Since going undrafted before signing with the New England Patriots, Jackson has emerged as one of the NFL’s better ballhawks. In four seasons, he has racked up over two dozen interceptions, including nine in 2020 and eight (with a whopping 23 passes defended) in 2021.
Jackson was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2021, and back in March, he signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers.
The evaluation, of course, suggests that picking Jackson at 30th during the 2018 draft would have been a massive reach. Even still, the Vikings could have snagged a corner who excels in man and who has a strong resume when it comes to making plays on the ball.
Easing the sting a little is that Brian O’Neill – whom the Vikings snagged in the second round – is sent to the Patriots at 23 in the Bleacher Report re-draft. In other words, Minnesota did a really nice job of snagging the impact tackle 62nd.
The Vikings certainly needed – and arguably still need – plenty of help at corner during the offseason. As it stands, it looks like a passable group, but it’s one that could have been significantly better with more draft success.
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