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Emerging from spring football a year ago, cornerback Elijah Jackson drew plaudits for his final-day interception and overall April play. Jimmy Lake even compared him to a young Sidney Jones.

Yet with the University of Washington football team returning the accomplished Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon as starters, it was obvious that no matter what Jackson did there wasn't going to be much room for game time.

Now entering another Husky spring practice next month with a new coaching staff, the situation has reversed itself. McDuffie and Gordon have moved on and the UW is seeking a new pair of No. 1 corners — and Jackson figures to be in the middle of the competition.

Redrawing the entire Husky secondary at cornerback, safety and the new hybrid Husky position appears to be the most pressing need for Kalen DeBoer and his coaching staff.

The chance to be a starting corner is why Jackson came to the UW, and his name will be mentioned as one of the leading candidates alongside sophomores Jacobe Covington and Mishael Powell, UC Davis transfer Jordan Perryman and a host of younger players. 

Jackson, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound redshirt freshman from Carson, California, appeared in three games last fall, drawing snaps against Arkansas State, Arizona and Colorado. 

He'll need to convince DeBoer and the defensive-backs coaches that he's ready for a lot more responsibility.

A month until spring practice, we're offering intel and observations gathered on the UW football personnel in a series of stories on every scholarship player from No. 0 to 99. We'll review each Husky's previous starting experience, if applicable, and determine what comes next under DeBoer.

As is the case with any coaching change, it's a new football beginning for everyone, including the Huskies' No. 25 on defense.

Jackson's collegiate highlight so far came in last year's UW spring game when 65 passes were launched by both sides, 37 were completed and just one ball was intercepted — by him.

On the third series, Jackson cut in front of tight end Devin Culp near the right hashmark, reached up high and stole a Patrick O'Brien pass. He took off running across the artificial surface and up the other sideline for a 22-yard return, got shoved out of bounds a little took aggressively by Matteo Mele to tack on additional penalty yardage and he set up the game's first touchdown.

Afterward, Lake couldn't say enough positive things about the young cornerback, comparing him to Jones, the two-time, first-team All-Pac-12 selection and now an NFL player.

"He's an extremely hard worker and wants to learn the next thing," Lake said of Jackson. "He reminds me a lot of Sidney Jones, how Sidney Jones was as a freshman. I'm very excited about his speed, his agility, the way he's playing faster now. He still has to play faster."

Unfortunately for all involved, Lake, the noted DB guru and eventual Husky head coach, got fired. He won't be able to see Jackson's progress up close nor will the corner be able to go to him for his insights.

Yet the mark of a topnotch coverage guy is his ability to readjust to unexpected situations and a college coaching change is certainly all of that.

UW Starter or Not: Jackson has had to pay his dues and might have to pay a few more. He's still just a redshirt freshman. But opportunity abounds for him and his teammates, and the good ones emerge even when they're young players. If Jackson can't beat out guys such as Powell and Perryman, who have been college starters at cornerback, expect him to play and log valuable minutes. 

Go to si.com/college/washington to read the latest Husky FanNation stories as soon as they’re published.

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This article first appeared on FanNation Husky Maven and was syndicated with permission.

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