Bennett Jackson was the 7th player from Notre Dame taken in the NFL Draft on Saturday. The speedy corner who might be moved to safety at the next level was plucked by the New York Giants with the 11th pick in the 6th round and 187th overall in the entire draft.
Recruited as an athlete by Brian Kelly in the transition class of 2010, Jackson was a special teams star early in his career who made some big hits and returned 29 kickoffs for 645 yards. As a sophomore he was usurped at kick returner by George Atkinson III but remained a valuable member on special teams as a sure tackler.
Heading into 2012 he was converted to corner and ended up starting for one of the country's best defenses. That year he turned a lot of heads with 65 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 4 pass breakups. Jackson's stock was sky high before the 2013 season but a disappointing season likely marred by an undisclosed injury really hurt his chances at a high pick in this spring's draft.
Nevertheless, he'll get a chance to make the Giants roster this summer and live out a dream. Congratulations to Bennett and his family! You can read more about Jackson's pick at SB Nation's New York Giants blog Big Blue View.