TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Kareem Jackson was Alabama’s quiet cornerback.
He started nearly every game of Nick Saban’s first three years as coach of the Crimson Tide, but was more of a steady presence than an attention-getting playmaker. Plus, there was the colorful All-American Javier Arenas on the opposite side of the field snaring many of the headlines — and a few more interceptions.
Jackson, however, has attracted attention with a strong NFL combine workout since opting to skip his senior season and enter the draft. He might have changed Saban’s mind about that decision after running the 40 in 4.48 seconds at the combine.
“I think that Kareem has helped himself a lot, by the way he’s worked out, the time that he ran at the combine,” said Saban, who typically counsels his players to stay in school if they’re not regarded as first-round picks. “If there was a question about him as a player, it was probably, ‘What’s his flat speed?’
“But when he ran a good time, I think that probably made the decision he made a good decision. If he wouldn’t have run a good time, it might have made it a bad one. There’s always a little bit of risk in this.”
Jackson was graded in second-round territory by the NFL draft advisory committee before deciding to leave school a year early. The combine performance took most of the pressure off him on Alabama’s pro day last week, when he was mostly able to watch his former teammates.
“Once I made that decision, I knew everyone was going to have something to say about my game and how I play,” Jackson said. “I just didn’t know it was going to be my speed. I was just pleased with the way I ran at the combine. I was able to prove a lot of people wrong.”
At least some mock drafts project Jackson as the second Alabama player taken in the draft, behind linebacker Rolando McClain and ahead of such prospects as Arenas, Terrence Cody and Mike Johnson.
He has been the low-key counterpart to Arenas. Jackson had only one interception as a junior and five in his career. Arenas picked off five passes and safety Mark Barron seven for the national champions last season.
Saban, apparently took a liking to Jackson shortly after taking over at Alabama. He signed Jackson out of prep school and started him in 12 of 13 games as a freshman.
“Kareem has been a good player for us,” Saban said. “He’s improved every year. He’s instinctive. He’s got good ball judgment. He’s tough. He’s a good tackler. Those are the things that if you can play man-to-man, those are the things everybody’s looking for in a defensive back.”
For his part, Jackson thinks he has benefited from playing in Saban’s NFL-style defense.
“He made me the player I am today, as far as my technique,” he said. “We played an NFL-type defense, so I think I’ll have the upper hand on a lot of guys as far as the draft, being able to run the different schemes and the different techniques.”
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