It hasn’t taken long – just one standout preseason, in fact – for Green Bay Packers rookie cornerback Josh Jackson to start grabbing attention nationally.

On Monday, Peter King of NBC Sports went out on a limb and predicted Jackson will win the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2018.

“I don’t think he’ll start on fire, but as the season wears on, he’s going to be the most reliable cornerback on a strong playoff contender,” King wrote. “He never was the fastest cornerback at Iowa, but he was smart and instinctive, and he’ll be among the league leaders in interceptions.”

A second-round pick of the Packers, Jackson mostly dominated the preseason, playing smothering coverage and returning two interceptions for a touchdown, although one was negated by penalty.

Pro Football Focus included Jackson in their All-Preseason Team as the top cornerback. His coverage numbers were almost hard to believe.

On nine targets against his coverage, Jackson allowed two receptions for 14 yards, with one official interception and an opposing passer rating of 0.0.

Two of the last three Defensive Rookie of the Year award winners were cornerbacks. Marshon Lattimore of the New Orleans Saints won it last year after intercepting five passes and breaking up 18 more. Marcus Peters intercepted eight passes and broke up 26 others during the 2015 season with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The path to winning the award for Jackson is clear: He needs to get his hands on a lot of footballs in 2018.

His standout senior year at Iowa and four preseason games suggest he’ll have a chance. He led the nation in interceptions and total passes defended last year for the Hawkeyes, and he displayed veteran recognition in jumping two passes for interceptions this preseason.

It’s unclear how much Jackson will play early on. He’s competing within a position group that includes veterans Tramon Williams and Davon House, last year’s top pick Kevin King and this year’s first-round pick Jaire Alexander. Jackson has earned playing time – his preseason performances all but demand a chance to be on the field – but he’ll have to really earn it once the real games begin Sunday.

Jackson is turning heads nationally, but he’ll have to overcome a little bit of history to make King’s prediction true: No player drafted outside the first round has won the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award since DeMeco Ryans in 2006.

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