New England Patriots: 5 player storylines to watch during training camp

J.C. Jackson

J.C. Jackson who?

The undrafted rookie cornerback out of the University of Maryland was the surprise of OTAs and minicamp and will be a player to keep an eye on come training camp.

Starting opposite Stephon Gilmore, Jackson saw quite a few snaps against the New England Patriots first offense in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.  Already on a similar path as the now departed Malcolm Butler, Jackson is a player coming in with more upside.

Projected as a fifth or sixth round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, J.C. Jackson is one of those players who could very well be a steal.  The talent is there and so is his competitive nature.  After opening eyes by making some nice defensive plays against veteran receivers such as Chris Hogan and Cordarrelle Patterson, one thing has become known about this unknown player and that is he will compete.

"“It turns on your competitive light and [gets] your competitive level up, too,” Jackson said following minicamp in early June.  “Those guys are great and they have been in the league a long time.  It is a good feeling and I love coming out here and practicing with those guys.”"

Will J.C. Jackson continue to open eyes during training camp and into the preseason?  If the minicamp sessions are any indication, he’ll be a factor in the competition at cornerback to make the 53-man roster.  If his confidence matches the talent that made him a top recruit in the nation coming out of high school, the New England Patriots may have themselves a find.

Whatever the outcome, this will be one of the stories to pay attention to come late July.