STRENGTHS
JaCoby is one of the most versatile, unique, impact, defensive players in this draft. He has excellent size, speed, and agility to play more than one position on your defense line, at linebacker or in one of a team’s defensive back positions. Jacoby has a high football IQ and shows leadership skills through his play on the field and, through his ability to make the players around him better. He has those long arms that make it easy for him to trail in coverage and make plays on the ball, or shed blocks and make tackles up on the line of scrimmage. He has excellent change of direction skills and foot speed and quickness. Jacoby is a leader on the field and something tells me he is a leader in the locker room also. Although Jacoby has excellent athletic talent and size, what makes him stand out in my mind is his leadership, character, and high football IQ to play more than one position on defense and act as a coach on the field. On film, it looks to me that Jacoby has the ability to be a franchise defensive player, the kind of player you build your defense around. I call him JaCoby (Diablo) Stevens because like the very intelligent crow, he leans as he flies around the field, and is the smartest crow in the flock.
CONCERNS
As I always say, you can nitpick any player right into a lower round but I prefer to recognize the obvious and select the obvious and leave the nitpicking to others. He can improve and I suspect he will continue to improve. JaCoby does prefer that the play stay in front of him and is smart enough to force plays and players when he is used in coverage, to stay in front of him.
BOTTOM LINE 1.72
Jacoby is that new defensive style of player who can cover, tackle in the open field, chase down players, be used as an edge rusher, inside linebacker, slot cover back, deep safety, and in general, be able to act as a team’s coach on the field. He reminds me a lot of former Panthers Luke Kuechly except Jacoby, is a little more athletic in coverage than Luke was. That being said, I believe Jacoby has the potential to have the same impact for the team that selects him on defense, that Luke has had in his career. As of this writing, JaCoby is listed as the 151st player, on Rob’s draft board, so it is obvious that I am not only out on a limb with this profile but I’m bending that limb just inches away from breaking it right now. I’m telling you JaCoby is a top ten pick in this draft while the rest of the Draft World is suggesting that he will be lucky if he is even selected. All I can tell you is if I’m wrong about Jacoby, I still don’t lose my job but if I’m right…no one cares anyway, So I guess that I’ll just be right…as usual. It’s hard to be a Draftnik and live in obscurity.
