Marlin Jackson is a very experienced defensive back, having started 39 games between cornerback and safety in the his four years at Michigan. He considered entering the 2004 NFL draft after his junior year, but opted to return to Ann Arbor for one final season. Jackson has the combination of size, speed and athleticism you look for in an NFL corner. He has good strength and does a very good job of jamming receivers coming off the line. He has good technique in coverage as well as excellent closing speed. He is an aggressive player against the run and a solid tackler. He struggled as a junior when he was forced to play free safety but bounced back with a good senior season. He doesn't get very many interceptions, partially due to the fact that he played out of position as a junior and quarterbacks rarely threw his way as a senior. He had 41 balls thrown his way in 11 regular season games in 2004. In those 11 games he only gave up 15 receptions and 2 touchdowns as a on the year. A shoulder injury in 2003 forced him to miss four games. He had some legal probems a couple years ago but the charges were later dropped. Jackson is a top 5 corner in the 2005 NFL draft and should be a late first
or early second round pick.