2021 Prospect: 4* LB Ian Jackson

Dnelly_7RTR

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He has said we are recruiting him at both inside and outside. Rashaan started at outside but moved to inside his last two years and he that is where he is playing and starting for the Titans. I think both Ian and Deonte Lawson, who is 215 lbs, will be end up on the inside and like you said both will need to add weight but that is major speed for ILB's.
Well yeah that’s all I was saying, am I thought that if he was ranked as an inside backer he’d be number 1 or 2 because of his ball skills not many LBs are lining up at corner back to in high school. But they will add muscle because that’s part of college football. But he doesn’t have to be 240 in today’s game smaller quicker faster LBs with ball skills to cover is more valuable. The game is always evolving
 

gtgilbert

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He’s a hybrid LB/DB, he’s 6’1 215 same weight as Mack Wilson and Dylan Moses Going into sr year high school. He’ll easily add 15 more pounds of muscle. He’s a speedy guy so he’ll probably start at the money position then transition inside just like most LBs that don’t come in as a Sam or jack. Bama doesn’t run base D much anymore but he’d be a will in base But he’s a hybrid so he’ll get to come off the edge too.. Jackson has ball skills unlike Evans did. Evans developed ball skills then transitioned to inside backer.
hmmm.

Money is a DB position, usually played by a S, every once and a while a CB, but never an LB. We actually pull an LB off the field to put the money in for the dime defense. We've never had a guy start out as the money and move inside. Usually if they play Money early, then end up as a base safety once they learn more packages in the D.

With Evans, it wasn't the development of ball skills that moved him inside. It was the fact the staff always thought he should have been inside, but he really wanted to be a pass rusher, so the staff let him start there at OLB, even though he was no where big enough to be a 3 down guy. Once he figured that out, and also figured out he wasn't going to be able to gain the needed weight to start outside, he moved to where the staff thought he should have been all along - turned out well for him.

Jackson doesn't have the weight or length to even be in the discussion at OLB or even play a specialty role off the edge in our scheme (Our OLBs are still hybrid LB/DE types who are at least 6'3" and 250ish), so he's either a pure ILB or a project as a big safety.
 
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TiderJack

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Jackson doesn't have the weight or length to even be in the discussion at OLB or even play a specialty role off the edge in our scheme (Our OLBs are still hybrid LB/DE types who are at least 6'3" and 250ish), so he's either a pure ILB or a project as a big safety.
I agree with you that he will be a ILB but somewhat disagree with you about not playing OLB. The position is changing and the lighter, faster edge rushers like Chaisson out of LSU who was a 1st round draft pick comes to mind. Chaisson was 220 lbs coming out of HS and bulked up to 240 and Ian could do this also. I think the main thing is we have so much outrageous young talent at OLB he will play ILB and be similar to CJ.
 

gtgilbert

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I agree with you that he will be a ILB but somewhat disagree with you about not playing OLB. The position is changing and the lighter, faster edge rushers like Chaisson out of LSU who was a 1st round draft pick comes to mind. Chaisson was 220 lbs coming out of HS and bulked up to 240 and Ian could do this also. I think the main thing is we have so much outrageous young talent at OLB he will play ILB and be similar to CJ.
Chaisson is 6'3", 255. That's our prototype as well. Jennings, Lewis, Anderson, Williams, miller, Duval were all in that range.

Allen is next man up and he is 6'4" 250. King behind him is 6'5" 245 then parks at 6'4" 240. Those were pre-spring numbers and we would normally expect some progress.

Ian woud have to gain several inches and close to 45 pounds. Possible but not really likely.
 

TiderJack

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Chaisson is 6'3", 255. That's our prototype as well. Jennings, Lewis, Anderson, Williams, miller, Duval were all in that range.

Allen is next man up and he is 6'4" 250. King behind him is 6'5" 245 then parks at 6'4" 240. Those were pre-spring numbers and we would normally expect some progress.

Ian woud have to gain several inches and close to 45 pounds. Possible but not really likely.
I saw where Chaisson was 240 lbs coming out for the draft but I now see 250 lbs and his HS weight was 220 lbs which is 5 lbs more than Ian so I am assuming Ian could gain weight like Chaisson did and possibly 1-2". Anyway, I agree with you that he will play ILB.

Our 2020 LB recruiting class was 230, 230, 230, 220, 217 and 215 lbs and our current 2021 class is 245 (Blackshire-ILB), 235, 217 and 210 lbs and our top targets Sorey is 213 lbs and Williams is 224 lbs. I would expect them to put on some muscle weight but I don't believe any of the ILB's and not sure any of the OLB's will play at 250-260 lbs. I think in today's game we are looking at lighter, faster OLB's.
 

Dnelly_7RTR

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hmmm.

Money is a DB position, usually played by a S, every once and a while a CB, but never an LB. We actually pull an LB off the field to put the money in for the dime defense. We've never had a guy start out as the money and move inside. Usually if they play Money early, then end up as a base safety once they learn more packages in the D.

With Evans, it wasn't the development of ball skills that moved him inside. It was the fact the staff always thought he should have been inside, but he really wanted to be a pass rusher, so the staff let him start there at OLB, even though he was no where big enough to be a 3 down guy. Once he figured that out, and also figured out he wasn't going to be able to gain the needed weight to start outside, he moved to where the staff thought he should have been all along - turned out well for him.

Jackson doesn't have the weight or length to even be in the discussion at OLB or even play a specialty role off the edge in our scheme (Our OLBs are still hybrid LB/DE types who are at least 6'3" and 250ish), so he's either a pure ILB or a project as a big safety.
First of I understand the concepts of Alabama’s defense i played in a similar system in college.. I know that money is the 6th DB. I was just saying the Ian jackson kid has the skills to play money. He played some corner in high school. Me personally I think he’s an inside LB regardless of weight. Weight isn’t that significant in today’s game when the production is there. Plus speed kills, we all know he’ll bulk up in college. In regards to Evans. What Evans did at Alabama is what they told him he’d do during his recruitment. They told him he’d be a pass rush specialist, he didn’t not have good ball skills so they developed them them out him at inside backer which was his natural position. Ball skills is the main key for an inside backer at Bama. This jackson kid is a different beast wide range of skills so he’ll be exposed to a wide range of positions as well IMO. RTR
 

The Ols

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First of I understand the concepts of Alabama’s defense i played in a similar system in college.. I know that money is the 6th DB. I was just saying the Ian jackson kid has the skills to play money. He played some corner in high school. Me personally I think he’s an inside LB regardless of weight. Weight isn’t that significant in today’s game when the production is there. Plus speed kills, we all know he’ll bulk up in college. In regards to Evans. What Evans did at Alabama is what they told him he’d do during his recruitment. They told him he’d be a pass rush specialist, he didn’t not have good ball skills so they developed them them out him at inside backer which was his natural position. Ball skills is the main key for an inside backer at Bama. This jackson kid is a different beast wide range of skills so he’ll be exposed to a wide range of positions as well IMO. RTR
I agree, I think he'll be special...and I stayed @ Holiday Inn Express last night!!!
 

gtgilbert

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I saw where Chaisson was 240 lbs coming out for the draft but I now see 250 lbs and his HS weight was 220 lbs which is 5 lbs more than Ian so I am assuming Ian could gain weight like Chaisson did and possibly 1-2". Anyway, I agree with you that he will play ILB.

Our 2020 LB recruiting class was 230, 230, 230, 220, 217 and 215 lbs and our current 2021 class is 245 (Blackshire-ILB), 235, 217 and 210 lbs and our top targets Sorey is 213 lbs and Williams is 224 lbs. I would expect them to put on some muscle weight but I don't believe any of the ILB's and not sure any of the OLB's will play at 250-260 lbs. I think in today's game we are looking at lighter, faster OLB's.
Agreed the ilbs won't be expected to bulk up as much. Recent history shows our ilbs are most successful between 225 and 235 or so. 2019 was different, but I'd expect both those guys to slim down some.

Olbs however have all still been around 250 or more. Just look back at the starters for bama to see. Its a pretty clear profile. Jennings, lewis, anderson, miller, williams, stinson (before he grew to a dl), Hubbard. Upshaw. Upshaw is maybe to old school since he was around 265 or 270 so the position has slimmed down a little, but still is 250+ for the starters.
 

TiderJack

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Agreed the ilbs won't be expected to bulk up as much. Recent history shows our ilbs are most successful between 225 and 235 or so. 2019 was different, but I'd expect both those guys to slim down some.

Olbs however have all still been around 250 or more. Just look back at the starters for bama to see. Its a pretty clear profile. Jennings, lewis, anderson, miller, williams, stinson (before he grew to a dl), Hubbard. Upshaw. Upshaw is maybe to old school since he was around 265 or 270 so the position has slimmed down a little, but still is 250+ for the starters.
I know that is where we were last year and before but I believe with the size of our last two classes they will not weigh as much in the future. There may an exception for the 250-260 range like Terrell Lewis who was 6' 5" and an absolute physical specimen.
 

gtgilbert

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I know that is where we were last year and before but I believe with the size of our last two classes they will not weigh as much in the future. There may an exception for the 250-260 range like Terrell Lewis who was 6' 5" and an absolute physical specimen.
Chris Allen, the next in line, was 232 as a recruit and is now 250. Tim Williams was 235 as a recruit, and we built him up to 250+. Anoma, who should have been next in line also, was 235 as a recruit and he was listed at UH as 250. Anderson and Sanders from this years class are both in the 230-235 range so no reason to think they'd be different from those three. In fact, Sanders has apparently already started the process and is almost 240 already.
https://alabama.rivals.com/news/elite-pass-rusher-drew-sanders-ready-to-show-his-skills-at-alabama.

The potential outlier is Braswell, and it'll be interesting to see where and how he develops.
 

Dnelly_7RTR

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Chris Allen, the next in line, was 232 as a recruit and is now 250. Tim Williams was 235 as a recruit, and we built him up to 250+. Anoma, who should have been next in line also, was 235 as a recruit and he was listed at UH as 250. Anderson and Sanders from this years class are both in the 230-235 range so no reason to think they'd be different from those three. In fact, Sanders has apparently already started the process and is almost 240 already.
https://alabama.rivals.com/news/elite-pass-rusher-drew-sanders-ready-to-show-his-skills-at-alabama.

The potential outlier is Braswell, and it'll be interesting to see where and how he develops.
Chris Allen is on the hot seat, I think he’ll start maybe but I think one of the younger guys will beat him out. He doesn’t seem to have that mean streak in him. Plus I think the younger guys have a better skill set and more natural for the position. But I hope it does click for him.
 

gtgilbert

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Chris Allen is on the hot seat, I think he’ll start maybe but I think one of the younger guys will beat him out. He doesn’t seem to have that mean streak in him. Plus I think the younger guys have a better skill set and more natural for the position. But I hope it does click for him.
Allen could get pushed for sure, but other than Mwikuta I'm not sure we have anyone of the roster, or coming in, who can fulfill the number one job of the OLB, setting and holding the edge against OTs and TEs to maintain outside containment. Due to that, I see Allen as the primary starter and that some of the other guys will get role player or package reps in pass only situations much like Evans, Miller and Williams did early in their careers.
 
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Dnelly_7RTR

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Allen could get pushed for sure, but other than Mwikuta I'm not sure we have anyone of the roster, or coming in, who can fulfill the number one job of the OLB, setting and holding the edge against OTs and TEs to maintain outside containment. Due to that, I see Allen as the primary starter and that some of the other guys will get role player or package reps in pass only situations much like Evans, Miller and Williams did early in their careers.
Will Anderson will start I’m calling it now boom lol
 

gtgilbert

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Will Anderson will start I’m calling it now boom lol
That's a bold call and anything is possible. The kid can certainly get after the QB. No doubt about that, and that's why I think some of the young ones can get in some package reps and be very productive in that sense.

That said, his HS scouting report even said he is an undersized pass rusher, with some potential frame limitations, who will have to show the ability anchor against the run. Since that's the #1 job of the OLB on most downs I'm just not sure he will be able to prove that and he'll earn an early spot as a 3 down OLB.
 

TiderJack

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That's a bold call and anything is possible. The kid can certainly get after the QB. No doubt about that, and that's why I think some of the young ones can get in some package reps and be very productive in that sense.

That said, his HS scouting report even said he is an undersized pass rusher, with some potential frame limitations, who will have to show the ability anchor against the run. Since that's the #1 job of the OLB on most downs I'm just not sure he will be able to prove that and he'll earn an early spot as a 3 down OLB.
I think the one we need to keep our eyes on in base D is Drew Sanders. He is a coaches son and understands the game and is physical. I don't know if he will start but I think he will get a lot of PT. I think Anderson is going to be a beast on the edge and give us a pass rushing threat but as you feel I am not sure he is going to have the technique yet to fully understand the Jack or Sam position.


 

Dnelly_7RTR

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I think the one we need to keep our eyes on in base D is Drew Sanders. He is a coaches son and understands the game and is physical. I don't know if he will start but I think he will get a lot of PT. I think Anderson is going to be a beast on the edge and give us a pass rushing threat but as you feel I am not sure he is going to have the technique yet to fully understand the Jack or Sam position.


Idk I’m not high on drew sanders I seen him pushed around the field too much. Can’t watch the highlights you gotta watch the full games. I just think he’s body isn’t ready he’s not strong enough yet. I seen will Anderson play in the all start game in San Antonio he’s a monster
 

Dnelly_7RTR

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Idk I’m not high on drew sanders I seen him pushed around the field too much. Can’t watch the highlights you gotta watch the full games. I just think he’s body isn’t ready he’s not strong enough yet. I seen will Anderson play in the all start game in San Antonio he’s a monster
He might be ready after all this time in the Wright room tho who knows he’s a nice tall athlete
 

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