Woodard off to another hot start for Rebels
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UNLV LB Jackson Woodard leads a defense currently ranked 35th nationally through four weeks.
UNLV linebacker Jackson Woodard frequently stays a step ahead of the competition. The three-time Dean’s List award winner also earned first-team Academic All-American honors in 2023. He’s the first Rebel to receive the honor. Even so, the on-field play has been just as impressive over the last two seasons.
The Little Rock Christian High School (Ark.) product played in back-to-back state championship games at the prep level before arriving at Arkansas. A three-year backup for the Hogs, Woodard transferred out West to play for former Razorbacks defensive coordinator Barry Odom.
He proceeded to earn first-team All-MWC honors in 2023 on the strength of 117 tackles, two quarterback sacks and nine tackles for losses.
Instincts/Timing
Woodard understands UNLV defensive coordinator Mike Scherer’s scheme at a doctoral level. It allows him to disguise his intentions in the pre-snap with deft precision. A perfect example of this came in the fourth quarter of the Houston contest in Week One. With the Rebels up 24-0 early in the quarter, Woodard aligned in his normal exchange linebacker position. Scherer called a trail blitz concept that was designed to attack the right side of the Cougars offensive line. He delayed an extra step behind fellow linebacker Marcel McDuffie so he could occupy the right guard. After the guard picked up McDuffie, Woodard blasted through the B gap for one of his three quarterback sacks on the night.
Coverage/Play Speed
Due to his past special teams experience at Arkansas, Woodard tracks plays laterally. There are occasions when he mistimes some of his inside-out angles of pursuit (MT vs. Daniels, 1st QTR, KU ’24). In this same contest (Kansas ’24), he did produce positive 90-degree angles on some of Kansas running back Devin Neal’s outside stretch concepts (4th QTR). In this same stanza, he also ran Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels out of bounds on a scramble.
Conversely, he took a number of major risks on some of the Jayhawks speed option and outside zone run principles. As opposed to going over the top of angle/area blockers on Daniels’ first quarter touchdown run, he went underneath the action. This left the UNLV defense a man short after safety Jalen Catalon attempted to establish force. He took a few too many gambles going underneath blocks on the night.
His film study and football intelligence shined when the team ran wide receiver screens. Woodard correctly diagnosed a fourth quarter screen to receiver Luke Grimm and produced a tackle for loss. He also matched a crossing route from wide receiver Lawrence Arnold in zone coverage (3rd QTR). Earlier in that quarter, he baited Daniels into a throw over the middle of the field as a curl-hook defender. Woodard picked off the pass and nearly scored on the interception return (3rd QTR, 26-yd INT return, KU ’24).
Synopsis
Woodard finished the game we attended with 11 tackles, one-and-a-half tackles for losses and the interception return. His activity was noteworthy. Inconsistency in his ability to stack-and-shed (versus OL) -if left uncovered- remains concerning (pancaked by Ford, Jr., 2nd QTR, KU ’24). As a result, Woodard may project best as a weak side linebacker at the next level.
The special teams upside helps him tremendously. Versus Kansas, he was seen at the center position on the kickoff return unit and the left guard on the punt team. He flashed an ability to disengage from the guard spot and got down the field with positive pace.
Overall, Woodard’s high football intelligence, range and experience rank as huge positives. The Academic All-American maintains an upbeat attitude with teammates on the sidelines. It comes as no surprise that he is a team captain. Games such as the Kansas and Houston contests boost his chances to get a postseason invite to an All-Star game in 2025.
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