Panthers cornerback Donte Jackson can make a legitimate claim to being the second-fastest player in the NFL right now. Over the weekend, he participated in the 40 Yards of Gold tournament, pitting his straight-line speed against some of the greatest athletes in the game.
Jackson advanced to the final round, where he lost to 49ers wide receiver (and actual Olympian) Marquise Goodwin by just .05 seconds. Impressive stuff. Going forward, Jackson expects his Madden speed rating to be no lower than a 97. For what it’s worth, last year Madden gave him a 95 speed rating, so it will be interesting to see if he gets a bump.
Carolina of course knew Jackson was fast when they picked him in the second round of the 2018 NFL draft. Jackson also proved to have above-average ball skills for a cornerback – especially with his experience – reeling in four interceptions and posting nine passes defensed.
If Jackson cuts down on the coverage errors that led to him giving up several explosive plays, he could surpass James Bradberry and become the Panthers’ best corner as soon as this year.
