EDINBORO, PA – Edinboro University cornerback James Jackson (New Smyrna Beach, FL/ New Smyrna) is ranked among the top players in Division II according to D2Football.com. D2Football.com is releasing its Top 100 Division II Players for 2013, with Jackson being ranked 56th. Earlier, Edinboro quarterback Cody Harris was ranked 93rd.
Josh Buchanon coordinates D2Football.com’s awards and has come up with the player rankings. D2Football.com has released players 51 to 100 so far and will be announcing more rankings in the coming days. That will be followed by its preseason all-conference and All-America teams.
Jackson enters his senior season tied for fifth in career interceptions with 13 while starting 30 of 31 career games at cornerback. A year ago he finished tied for fifth on the team in tackles with 49 while leading the team for the third straight year in interceptions with four. That figure ranked fourth in the PSAC. He was second on the team in passes broken up with five.
Jackson earned first team All-PSAC West accolades and was also named to the Daktronics All-Super Region One and Don Hansen All-Super Region One second teams in 2011. He finished with 39 tackles along with tying for the team lead with 4 interceptions for 50 yards and a team-high 12 passes broken up. He ranked third in the PSAC in passes defended and tied for seventh in interceptions. He scored three touchdowns, including a 49-yard interception return at Gannon, while also returning a pair of blocked field goals for scores, 62 yards against Slippery Rock and 70 yards vs. California(Pa.).
He took over as the starter at cornerback for injured Branden Williams in the second game of the 2010 campaign as a true freshman, and would start the final ten games. He finished with 40 tackles while tying for the team lead in interceptions with 5 for 52 yards, returning one 20 yards for a touchdown against East Stroudsburg. He tied for the PSAC lead in interceptions and was second in the conference in passes defended (15) after adding 10 passes broken up.
Edinboro opens the 2013 campaign on Thursday, September 5 at Walsh.
