Donte Jackson hadn’t felt this much anticipation in nearly a decade, when he began his college career as one of the nation’s top five-star prospects.
“I almost feel, like, giddy,” Jackson said last week during his first full-squad organized activities session with the Pittsburgh Steelers. “I feel thrilled, exactly like when I went to LSU, knowing the standard was already set (at that program). You understand why you had to come in there; it has been like way for years. And that’s how I felt when I came here.
“I’m happy, ecstatic like a young kid, because the here norm is set: If you come in here, you have to swim with sharks, guy. And I like to pretend I’m a shark.”
Jackson, a seven-year veteran cornerback, does not have to be the dominant force on this defense. Jackson, who was acquired in March in a rare player-for-player NFL trade for receiver Diontae Johnson, only needs to be a dependable, complementary piece on a unit that includes a few hall-of-fame players as well as an established No. 1 at his position in second-year cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
Jackson, 28, has 80 career NFL games, 76 starts, and 4,284 defensive snaps, all with Carolina, since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2018.
“Just knowing that I was coming here to be part of something that was always already up and running and that was already dominant and that I could come in and just be come out rolling, that’s exciting,” Jackson stated.
Jackson tied for the fastest time in the 40-yard sprint at the 2018 NFL Combine and had 14 interceptions in his first 63 games. However, only eight months after signing a three-year, $35 million contract extension in March 2022, Jackson tore his Achilles tendon, ending his sixth NFL season.
Jackson did not record an interception in his lone subsequent play, last season, and was credited with only five passes defended across 16 games for the 2-15 Panthers.
“I play corner, so the spotlight is always on that position, no matter if you’re a big name or you are just a solid guy who’s been out there making plays,” Jackson said. “And I like to think I was always a solid guy who was out there making plays. It’s just not in front of the right eyes.
“So this is an opportunity to go out there and show what I have been doing my whole career, and that’s making plays. Flying around. Being an impact player. That’s my mindset right now, just to come in and fly around and be a difference-maker.”
Jackson is in the early stages of a partnership with Porter, who, as a rookie last season, played more on the left side of the defense. Jackson has tended to play more on the right throughout his career.
“I don’t care where I play, left or right,” Porter said. “Whoever I’m guarding, I don’t care where I go. ‘D-Jack’ feels the same way. We are just taking turns right now.”
Jackson called the paring with Porter “a match made in heaven.”
“I love that he might as well be a football he loves the game so much,” Jackson said. “Me and him talk all the time, just bouncing ideas off each other. He asks a lot of questions, he’s a great learner and he writes a lot down, so the sky is the limit for Joey. I can’t wait to just to get going with him.”
The Steelers — specifically, coach Mike Tomlin — have been waiting a long time to get after it with Jackson, a player the Steelers were repeatedly linked to during the lead-up to the 2018 draft. In 2022, the Steelers were one of two finalists during his brief foray into free agency.
The Steelers ended up signing Levi Wallace and re-upping with Ahkello Witherspoon.
“So it kind of had a familiarity with how much they really wanted me to come be a part of this,” Jackson said. “As a seven-year guy, you look for those things that get you excited to come play football, and that was totally one of them. That had me going to watch all the old (Steelers) games from back in the day. Just excited to be part of an organization like this.”
