Lions’ Jerry Jacobs Showing Right Humble Mindset Despite Success

Jerry Jacobs

Getty Jerry Jacobs makes a tackle on Vikings' wideout Justin Jefferson.

The Detroit Lions have seen the rapid emergence of rookie cornerback Jerry Jacobs, and such a quick rise in the NFL for a rookie player who didn’t have much fanfare could come with the unintended consequence of hype.

If that hype goes to a player’s head, it could be trouble at a key stage in development. With Jacobs, however, this is no cause for concern at all given the cornerback’s humble nature even as he has unprecedented success early on in his career.

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Jacobs has proven to be a strong tackler early in his career and that was punctuated in Week 13 by some huge plays he made on Minnesota. If it seems that Jacobs plays with extra fire, it’s because he does. Speaking with the media in an interview on Thursday, December 7 posted to DetroitLions.com, Jacobs admitted that his tenacity on the field is a nod to everyone who ever doubted him since he is an underdog.

“Just being the underdog. A lot of people think you can’t do stuff like that, like tackle in the NFL,” Jacobs told the media. “Working on that everyday, trying to be better. Working every game, trying to be better at that. Just being the underdog when I was young. Everybody didn’t think I could do this. I just want to prove them wrong by showing I can tackle.

Even though that is the case, Jacobs isn’t about to let up whatsoever and he is going to continue to work hard in order to become the best.

“I’m still humble. I still see myself as an undrafted free agent coming in trying to earn a spot. So, I don’t let none of that phase me. I do appreciate the love and support, but I keep going trying to get better everyday,” he explained.

That’s the right idea for Jacobs to have, and it serves as a good example for all young players. Expect Jacobs to continue to play well and improve so that he can be the best of the best. It’s refreshing to hear a player say that.


Jacobs Looking Like Lock-Down Cornerback

Jacobs’ play has managed to help the Lions in a big way this season, and while the team is winless, the defense has shown many positive signs for the future. One of those signs has been in the development of their young players across the roster.

Jacobs continues to impress, and the Lions cornerback has been cited as one of the better youngsters in the league at his position. This season, as Pro Football Focus pointed out, Jacobs has only allowed a single touchdown catch while playing at cornerback.

That stat proves that Jacobs is looking like a potential lock down cornerback in the making. The Lions have needed a player like Jacobs to develop for a while, so is is huge to see what he is doing on the field so fast for the team.

Even though Jacobs has been good, he remains humble for the team, as his reaction to the stat on Twitter showed. As Jacobs pointed out, he’s got more to do.

The play and the mindset could each push Jacobs to become a star in the league.


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.

So far, the stats seem to match Jacobs in terms of his goals, and it will be fun to see where his career leads him. This kind of attitude should help him in his quest.

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