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Bills rookie compares himself to $106 million defensive star

The Buffalo Bills hope they can get a similar version of one of the best defensive players in the NFL
Jeremy Brener|
Arkansas defensive lineman Landon Jackson celebrates after sacking Louisiana Tech quarterback Evan Bullock
Arkansas defensive lineman Landon Jackson celebrates after sacking Louisiana Tech quarterback Evan Bullock | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

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The Buffalo Bills are hoping to get some good value out of third-round rookie defensive lineman Landon Jackson.

Jackson, the No. 72 overall pick in the NFL Draft, recorded 6.5 sacks in each of his last two seasons with the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Even though Jackson was a mid-round pick, he still has a chance to be one of the best players in the NFL, much like 2019 fourth-round pick Maxx Crosby has been for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Jackson compared his game to Crosby's and thinks he can emerge as one of the best pass rushers in the NFL.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

"One guy is Maxx Crosby," Jackson said via team reporter Maddy Glab. "He's a dog. He's a high motor player. He knows how to fly around in the pass game and get after the quarterback, and then in the run game he knows how to set an edge and be a dominant defensive end.

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"That's the guy that I model my game after. I feel like we have a lot of similarities in body type and play style."

Crosby stands 6' 5" and weighs 255 pounds, which is actually slightly smaller than Jackson, a 6-foot-6, 264-pound specimen.

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The speed is where Jackson will need to match Crosby in order for him to be taken seriously as a pass rusher in the NFL.

If Jackson can play with the same mindset that Crosby has, going all out on every play, he could become one of the best at his position in the league.

Arkansas' Landon Jackson fields questions at the SEC Football Kickoff Media Days
Arkansas' Landon Jackson fields questions at the SEC Football Kickoff Media Days | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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