COLTS PRESIDENT BILL POLIAN AND HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY – ON DRAFTING DB-MARLIN JACKSON
PRESIDENT BILL POLIAN (General Comments)Saturday, April 23, 2005
"As you know we drafted Marlin Jackson, cornerback, University of Michigan. We felt really good about Marlin right from the get go. He was our first choice of the nine players that we had on our board. There were five left on the board. That was good management by Dom Anile and the scouting staff to get the board set up. I said to the guys inside in the draft room that having a clean board was good news and bad news. The good news is it (the board) talks to you clearly and accurately. The bad news is it kills your stomach as you watch people go off of it. Our first round was all but wiped out when we made out choice. We're glad to get Marlin. He's 6-1, 195 and runs a 4.5 forty. He's played 45 games with the (Michigan) Wolverines. We spoke to Lloyd Carr, to whom we have a great deal of respect for. He mentioned that Marlin had worked everyday in practice against Braylon Edwards and relished at the competition that provided. He played that way during the Big Ten season. It's no secret that he had some difficulty with the law a couple of years ago. It involved him being at a fraternity house. He was charged and plead guilty to a misdemeanor and did some community service. Lloyd (Carr) explained all of the issues as well as doing our own background check and we're satisfied that that's behind him. It was an issue that was out of character for him. He can be characterized as a very tough physical corner. He tackles well and has good ball skills. He can run and can also play safety. He was our first choice. He was a two-way go at either position. He's played in the toughest of competition and some of the best receivers in the country that have gone on and to play well in the NFL. He played under the most pressure there is—The Big Ten and the big house of Michigan, so this should be a big step, but not a daunting one for him."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (On drafting Marlin Jackson)Saturday, April 23, 2005
"We're excited. He played in a system very similar to what we do. He's a physical guy. That was important to us. We needed to upgrade that part of our game on defense. The coaches were really upbeat about him."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (On Marlin Jackson playing)Saturday, April 23, 2005
"I think he'll play and help us. When you get athletic guys that are tough and can run, that's one thing about drafting at that positon, as opposed to a quarterback or a running back who if he's not a starter, he's not playing for you. We expect him to contribute."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (On playing corner or safety)Saturday, April 23, 2005
"I asked Lloyd Carr that question the other day what he envisioned him playing, and he really sees him as a corner. That's where I think he'll play. If we draft five other cornerbacks with the next five picks, we might be able to move him to safety."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (On drafting a corner in the first round)Saturday, April 23, 2005
"This guy is so much like a lot of the guys we had success with. It's just unusual we have not gotten them in the first round. He's very similar to the guys we had in Tampa that have ended up being good players and the same in Minnesota and Pittsburgh, so it is different getting him in the first round, but it really doesn't matter. We have him and we're excited to have him.
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (On what sold him on Marlin Jackson)Saturday, April 23, 2005
"Really how hard he plays. He played excited, whether it was this past year at corner or the year before at safety. He flew around the ball. I think he's a tough, physical player and enjoys playing the game. That's what you like to see."
