2014 NFL Mock Draft: The Ultimate 8 Part 3 (21-28)

Nov 9, 2013; Morgantown, WV, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat (44) records a sack and forced fumble on West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Paul Millard (14) at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Overall Player Evaluation
Dedication-the quality of being dedicated or committed to a task or purpose. Since Jackson Jeffcoat’s first game as Texas Longhorn, his task or purpose that he has been committed to has been none other than tackling ball carriers. Even as a freshman, Jeffcoat had major upside, recording 3.0 tackles for loss including 11 combined tackles, however due to injury, he was forced to watch from the sidelines for four games, returning to the Longhorns starting lineup against FAU.

In Jeffcoat’s revamped and fully healthy sophomore season, the defensive lineman out of Plano, Texas was able to pull off great numbers from the LB/DE positions. In 2011, Jeffcoat was able to blow his 2010 stats out of the water, registering 63 total tackles, 17.0 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks and seven QB hurries. Jeffcoat was able to be named to the 2nd-team All Big 12 as well as numerous defensive player of the week awards. The very next season, Jeffcoat once again was riddled by injuries that kept him out of about 50% of UT’s games. However, even though Jeffcoat played in only six games, he made the best of those six games, recording 9.5 tackles for loss, 28 total tackles, 4.0 sacks and two forced fumbles. The highlight of Jeffcoat’s 2012 junior season would have to be his game against Oklahoma State where Jeffcoat was able to put down 7 total tackles, 4.0 of them for loss. Had Jeffcoat not sustained a season-ending pectoral injury, perhaps he could have been in the running for best defensive lineman in the country, however against Oklahoma, the football gods decided Jeffcoat’s Nagurski Trophy would have to wait til next year…and boy did was it worth the wait. In Jeffcoat’s senior season, the 6-4, 250-pound defensive end was able to pull of one of the best defensive seasons in Longhorn history, recording 86 total tackles, 13.0 sacks, 22.0 tackles for loss, a preposterous 19 QB pressures and two forced fumbles on his way to nomination to the Ted Hendricks Award, Walter Camp Award, Nagurski Trophy, Lott Trophy and CFPA Defensive Award and being named to the AP first team All-American and awarded the Ted Hendricks and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Award as a senior.

Where Jeffcoat really shined in 2013 was in his games against rival Texas Tech where Jeffcoat’s three tackles for loss, three sacks, three QB hurries and 10 total tackles helped the Longhorns to a 41-16 stomping of the Red Raiders. Although Jeffcoat has experienced multiple season-interrupting injuries in his four years at the University of Texas, one thing has remained constant throughout Jeffcoat’s collegiate career: his ability to improve no matter the circumstances. Considering that Jeffcoat needed surgery to help heal his pectoral muscle on his chest, nobody in their right mind could have predicted the amazing season that Jeffcoat had at UT. Not only was he able to be among the tops in the nation for tackle for loss (22), but also tops in the nation for sacks (13.0).

Along with his unrivaled perseverance and dedication to the game, Jeffcoat has shown in his four years at the University of Texas that he is one of the top defensive lineman/linebacker combinations in this year’s draft. At 6-4, 250 pounds, Jeffcoat has the strength and size of an NFL defensive lineman, however where he differentiates himself from the rest of the pack is in his ability to get to ball carriers quickly and accurately, especially behind the line of scrimmage. As well his use of hands and pursuit of ball carriers make him as successful staying back in coverage as rushing the offensive lineman. Many may question his speed and size, however I believe that Jeffcoat is the ultimate package, giving you size and strength when you want it, but also skill and speed when you need it. Look for Jeffcoat to help out this struggling Kansas City Chiefs rush defense.

Film Analysis vs. Texas Tech (brought to you by draftbreakdown.com)
Setting: November 28th, 2013. Darrell K. Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas.

Early on in the game, Jeffcoat’s pass rushing effeciency is quite evident against the offensive line of the Red Raiders seeing as though Jeffcoat was able to consistently challenge the Texas Tech offensive guards. As well though what surprised me most about Jeffcoat’s play early on in this game was that although he is a dominating pass rusher, he can also act as a linebacker and play zone coverage and wrap up ball carriers fairly easily. At times in the first Jeffcoat looked slow and unable to shake blocks, however when using his bursts of speed, he was able to get past offensive lineman and create havoc in the backfield. It wasn’t until 2:38 in the first quarter when Jeffcoat’s true talent really surfaced on a left side shotgun option run where Jeffcoat was able to stand up the Texas Tech running back and throw him back for negative yardage. On that same drive, Jeffcoat was able to make an unbelievable move inside the tackles to get pressure on QB Baker Mayfield and nearly drag him down from behind with a last second dive.

From the two-point stance is where Jeffcoat operates best due to his ability to gain speed quickly and react to the quarterback or running back’s change in direction. Even playing through flu-like symptoms, Jeffcoat was still able to look like a strong and powerful lineman. Midway through the second quarter, Jeffcoat used a quick burst of speed and was able to go and sack QB Michael Brewer on a key third down. Reason why Jeffcoat’s sack stood out was because of his ability to find holes in the Raider’s offensive line and find the QB. Many times Jeffcoat likes to go up the middle to get to the QB, many times fast QBs like Mayfield will be able to escape, however because there was other pressure from the right side, Jeffcoat was able to wrap Mayfield up for a loss.

In the third quarter Jeffcoat really started to light it up as on another third down play Jeffcoat (playing from the linebacker position), used his speed and quickness to evade the Texas Tech offensive lineman and then have the ability to finish off the play and sack Mayfield yet again. Right off the snap Jeffcoat was absolutely motoring until the whistle was blown and the QB was on the ground. Quite frequently during the game, Jeffcoat used, instead of a bull rush like many other defensive lineman, a series of juke moves and spins in order to get pressure on the QB. Another interesting note was Jeffcoat’s move to fake inside like he’s blitzing and then go back outside and play zone coverage. I think this kid has a lot of raw talent and athleticism, perhaps a little rough around the edges at times, but in the end his speed and power will take him far in the NFL as a DE/LB combination.

Why He Fits in with the Chiefs
In 2013 the Chiefs had almost a similar season to the Eagles. They had a great offense with Alex Smith and the always elusive Jamaal Charles, while their defense ended up ranking 25th and 22nd in the pass and run, respectively. With the addition of Jackson Jeffcoat to this Kansas City line backing corps, the Chiefs will be getting a quality pass rusher and run stopper, while still getting a guy who could go back in coverage and bat away passes with ease. Kansas City’s passing defense towards the end of the season suffered majorly, allowing a total of 16 passing touchdowns in their final seven games, including four games of over 300 yards passing. Look for Jeffcoat to give Kansas City a legitimate passing threat on defense.