Panthers rookie Donte Jackson shows off wheels on season's first pick-2
Carolina Panthers rookie cornerback Donte Jackson is blazing fast, and he let Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints know on Monday.
During a two-point conversion attempt with the Saints up 12-7 late in the fourth quarter, Brees rolled to his right and threw a pass to the front corner of the end zone toward Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara. However, Jackson jumped the pass and took back the interception 99 yards for a pick-two.
Shot out of a cannon, Jackson bobbed and weaved his way up the sideline before cutting through the middle of the field for the score. According to Next Gen Stats, Jackson ran 121.9 yards on the play, and he reached a max speed of 21.07 mph.
Panthers CB Donte Jackson traveled 121.9 yards and reached a max speed of 21.07 MPH on his two-point conversion INT return, the first two-point defensive score of the season.#NOvsCAR #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/yq0fqXTiZP
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) December 18, 2018
The score was just the seventh since the NFL legalized defensive scores on PATs in 2015. Ironically, the first-ever two-point defensive score came when Saints linebacker Stephone Anthony took back a blocked kick against the Panthers on December 6, 2015.
The four-point swing gave the Panthers a chance to tie the game with a field goal, although the offense sputtered out as they lost, 12-9, to drop a sixth straight game.
Nobody can catch Action Jackson
Jackson has been one of the lone bright spots for the Panthers this season. A second-round draft pick out of LSU, Jackson immediately worked his way into the starting lineup and has made an impact.
The New Orleans native recorded three interceptions in his first three games and has four on the season. He also has a forced fumble, nine pass defenses and 62 tackles (including four for a loss). But perhaps his biggest asset has been his speed.
Even though he didn’t set the NFL combine 40-yard dash record like he wanted, Jackson’s 4.32-second 40 time was tied for the fastest at the 2018 combine. There have even been rumors of the former track runner able to run a 4.2 40.
Jackson used his speed to keep up with Tampa Bay Buccaneers burner DeSean Jackson for a pick in Week 9 and has several chase-down tackles thanks to his blazing speed. But Monday’s pick-two takes the cake as the best play yet of Action Jackson’s young career.
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