Some words that may ease your troubled mind from a guy who knows his stuff.
Shemar Stewart came into this year’s NFL Draft as one of the most athletically gifted edge rushers in a deep class, but he had a baffling lack of production in college, with only 4.5 sacks to his name after three years with Texas A&M.
Dexter Jackson, a former safety who was named the MVP of Super Bowl XXXVII and finished his career in the NFL with the Bengals in 2008, recently spoke with Roto Grider’s Ben Mendelowitz and shared his thoughts on why the lack of college production should not be concerning.
“When you talk about the lack of college production, this can sometimes be down to the college’s system or coach,” he said. “When transitioning to the NFL, it’s about finding the right system, coach, and even the right teammates. If you get drafted to a team that can give you all three of these things, then you can be a perfect fit for that team regardless of the numbers you put up in college.”
Jackson went on to say he thinks Stewart has all the intangibles he needs to have a solid NFL career. He also thinks a big part of his development could be the team’s ability to retain Trey Hendrickson, who is currently in extension negotiations and was absent from OTAs.
“You know the Bengals will put up points on offense, and on the defensive side, Hendrickson is a phenomenal player,” he added. “So, if he and Stewart can get after the quarterback on defense, you’re looking at a very dangerous team who can be a favorite to win the Super Bowl.”
Jackson, a fourth-round pick out of Florida State in 1999 by the Buccaneers, also played for the Arizona Cardinals and finished his career, in the NFL at least, with the Bengals in 2008, wrapping up a three-season stay with the team. He finished his career with 457 tackles, five sacks, five forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and 17 interceptions.
He’s been out of the league for a while, but it isn’t often for a non-quarterback to win Super Bowl MVP, let alone a defensive back, making him one of 10 defensive players to ever win the award.
Check out the interview here.
