Getty Jerry Jacobs makes a tackle while playing the Bengals in 2021.
The Detroit Lions were encouraged by the play of cornerback Jerry Jacobs during the 2021 season, and the stats as well as the weekly grind show a player who is coming on in a big way.
Jacobs did plenty of things well in his first season in the league after cracking the Detroit roster, and perhaps the only disappointment came when the rookie was injured late in the season and shelved for the rest of the year with an ACL injury. That ended one of the more positive rookie seasons the team has seen in a while.
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Jacobs sustained the devastating injury in a game against the Denver Broncos in December, and given the stressful nature of rehabbing such an injury, there was a thought that it could take up to nine months for Jacobs to get back on the field and look normal again. That would mean the start of 2022 season and camp could theoretically be in jeopardy for Jacobs.
However, there’s been very good news early on in the process, and Jacobs is already bouncing back in a big way and looking flexible off his surgery. Here’s a recent look at Jacobs from Twitter and his Instagram post moving around and showing off some mobility with his leg:
For those asking, looks like Jerry’s rehab and recovery is going very well! (via his IG) ❤️🩹
When Jacobs went down with the injury, it was an emotional experience for the fans and team as much as it was Jacobs himself. It was figured that the defensive back would push hard to come back stronger than ever, and it looks like he has built some momentum toward that being the case.
Jacobs Rated as One of NFL’s Best Rookie Ballhawks
An important stat for a player within the defensive backfield revolves around whether or not he can be a ballhawk, that is to say how often he is around the football in a way that can be quantified. The good news for the Lions? Jacobs already shows to be the best in his class at getting this done, leading all of his other rookie counterparts by a wide margin. He had a ballhawk percentage of 20.6% which was well above any other youngsters.
👀 Future is bright asf. 💰 Hope he stays a Lion for a loooong time. 🤞 #OnePride
Jacobs did not pay all of the ball pressure off with an interception last year, but he did collect 7 passes defended and 1 forced fumble. For a rookie undrafred free agent, those stats were pretty good. Jacobs was clearly in position to make plays, and will likely continue to do so in the future.
Jacobs’ Stats & Highlights
To say Jacobs was an underdog for the team was an understatement. When he signed after the NFL draft this past May, few people knew who the defensive back from Arkansas was or figured he would be sticking around for the long haul. In college, Jacobs did have decent stats, with 70 tackles and 4 interceptions to his credit to go with 2 forced fumbles and 10 passes defended. That was between two stops at both Arkansas State and Arkansas.
Coming into the league, it was easy to see why folks were a bit excited about Jacobs given the tape. Here’s a look at what he brings to the mix:
Obviously, there is some scrap to Jacobs, and that already served him well in cracking the Detroit roster. When he’s played, he hasn’t looked overmatched. As he learns more, he’s setting his goals high to become one of the best ever which he has confirmed himself.
Jacobs can only get there if he gets healthy, and it looks as if he is on the right path toward getting that done.
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