Prior to making any selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst stated that the cornerback position was one to which he would like to add multiple players. True to his word, Gutekunst added two cornerbacks in the draft.
The first pick Green Bay made was in the second round (52nd overall), and they took South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse. Later, in the sixth round, they added Alabama corner Domani Jackson.
Despite being a sixth round pick, Jackson has many fans believing that he will compete for a starting job in Green Bay, considering how poorly their cornerbacks played in 2025.
As it turns out, Jackson already has a connection to the Packers.
Green Bay Packers rookie Domani Jackson was mentored by Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
Jackson had an up-and-down career at Alabama. He won the starting job in 2024, but was eventually benched for a stretch that included the SEC Championship Game. Through it all, he relied on Alabama’s director of player development, former Packers first round pick Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.
“Ha Ha, he became a brother to me,” Jackson said according to the Packers website. “He just pulled me aside and had real life conversations. That adversity I was going through during the season helped me get out what I was going through.
“He always told me how great the organization is over there (in Green Bay), the fans, everything about it. So God works in crazy ways. And you know, I guess I’m following his footsteps. So it all works out.”
The fact that Jackson went through adversity and overcame it is part of what drew him to Green Bay’s general manager. “He’s been through some adversity and he’s made it to the other side of that, which I thought was something that drew us to him a little bit. I think what we ask of those guys playing outside corner as far as size, length and speed, he has that.”
One of the things that got Jackson back onto the field after being benched was his willingness to play special teams. Additionally, he never stopped being a good teammate. His work ethic and good character make him exactly the kind of player the Packers do not mind investing in.
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