Former Maryland cornerback J.C. Jackson is officially a Super Bowl champion, as his New England Patriots toppled the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 on Sunday night.
In a defensive struggle, Jackson was part of a secondary that limited Rams quarterback Jared Goff to 229 yards and zero passing touchdowns. The former Terp was able to record a pair of tackles to help the Patriots secure another title.
Jackson posted a video of himself on Instagram holding the Vince Lombardi Trophy to celebrate New England’s victory.
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The Super Bowl win caps off a rollercoaster rookie year for Jackson. He went undrafted before signing with the Pats on May 11.
As the season progressed, Jackson became a pleasant surprise in Foxborough. He hauled in three interceptions during the regular season, including this stunner against the Chicago Bears.
According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed the lowest passer rating out of any corner in the NFL when targeted this year.
Jackson faced a long road to get to the NFL in the first place. He originally signed to play college football at Florida, but lost his entire first year to a shoulder injury. Later, he was arrested in connection with an armed robbery. Although acquitted of all charges, the Gators kicked him off the team.
He then played in community college for a year, before transferring to Maryland after his former defensive coordinator at Florida, DJ Durkin, was hired as head coach. In College Park, Jackson blossomed as a lockdown corner, eventually forgoing his senior year to enter the NFL Draft.
Now he’s a Super Bowl champion as a rookie and has the rest of career to get more rings.
Congrats, J.C.
