Relentless Approach Leads Tarron Jackson to Philly

PHILADELPHIA - When it comes to Day 3 prospects in the NFL Draft, the goal around the league is to find some kind of trait in a prospect that could potentially turn into something down the road with sound and patient coaching.

For Tarron Jackson, the edge rusher out of Coastal Carolina who came in the sixth round, the 191st overall selection, by the Eagles on Saturday, Philadelphia believes it's ahead of the game after unearthing a relentless player who proved to be a team leader with the Chanticleers.

Conversely, Jackson landed in the one place that spawned emotions for him.

Back at Coastal, Jackson wore No. 9 as a tribute to his older brother Daron, who passed away due to leukemia when Jackson himself was only 9 years old. When asked about that Jackson offered another layer that connected him to Philadelphia before the Eagles even selected him.

"I can't even describe it into words. It's been a long couple years," Jackson said of his journey. "This is definitely a blessing. My brother was just one piece to the puzzle. My uncle, he actually passed before the season. The crazy part is his favorite team was the Eagles.

"I'm kind of getting emotional now. Being drafted to the Eagles, it means a lot to me."

Jackson himself was a fan of Tom Brady and Randy Moss growing up so there was some trash talk between him and his uncle but the latter got his wish when the Eagles made the call.

"He was an Eagles fan since he was very young. He was always talking about them when I was growing up," said Jackson. "I used to be a big Tom Brady, Randy Moss fan, so we were always talking stuff.

"The Eagles were always his favorite team. Right before he passed, going through this process, it was his dream also to see me make it to the NFL. He's always telling me, man, I really hope you go to my Eagles. The opportunity for me to do this now, it really, really feels good."

Eagles' vice president of player personnel Andy Weidl offered up a quick mini-scouting report on Jackson when asked by SI.com's Eagle Maven.

"Team captain. A lot of negative plays," Weidl noted. "Got to interview him down in Mobile [at The Senior Bowl], watch him practice for the week. Really comfortable with the person. Got to bring him back here and hand him off to Howie [Roseman} and coach [Nick Sirianni] and the staff and they took it from there in terms of spending their time with him."

Jackson, 22, was extremely productive with the Chanticleers as a three-year starter, accumulating 195 tackles, 44.5 tackles for loss, and 26.5 sacks in 48 career games.

By his senior season, the South Carolina native was named a first-team All-American and the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year after posting 8.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss. A year earlier Jackson set the Coastal Carolina record 10 sacks and was first-team All-Sun Belt honors.

"I'm the guy that's trying to come off the ball as hard as he can, trying to be violent with my hands," Jackson said when describing his game. "Every year I've tried to improve on my bend, trying to bend around the corner, instead of rounding it. I definitely would describe my pass rush game as relentless."

The knock on Jackson is his size at 6-foot-2 and 254 pounds with 33 1/4 arms. He's a bit of a tweener from a frame standpoint and just doesn't have the length most NFL teams look for when it comes to edge rushers.

Jackson, though, has heard it all before.

"Coming out of high school, I actually didn't get a lot of publicity and stuff from a lot of college schools," he admitted.

When Coastal came knocking, it turned out to be a perfect fit, however.

"When I came to Coastal, I really loved it," he said. "Going into my senior year they offered me. When I came on a visit, I just fell in love with it, man. The culture, the brotherhood they had there."

Jackson hoped to replicate that fit with players like Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox in Philadelphia.

"Oh, man, it's going to be great," he said. "... It is a great D-line room. I can't wait to get in there and compete with those guys. Always felt like iron sharpens iron. For me to have the opportunity to go in there and work with some of the best D-linemen in the league, it's a blessing."

John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on both PhillyVoice.com and YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Extending the Play" on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s EagleMaven and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.