Keondre Jackson Aims for All-Pro Status, Following the Trail His Coach Built

Baltimore Ravens safety Keondre Jackson is setting a goal that sounds almost too big for a second-year player, but his target is specific: becoming an All-Pro. In a new feature published Monday, Jackson described chasing that level of impact in the one role where he has already made his name, special teams.

Jackson’s breakthrough came as an undrafted rookie who earned his way onto the active roster after beginning on the practice squad. The Ravens say he flashed as a rookie on special teams, recording 13 tackles in 12 games, and he even finished plays with a backflip celebration. Baltimore also credited Pro Football Focus with ranking him, tied for No. 10 among special teamers in the NFL, an acknowledgement that his effort translated into measurable production.

What makes the story more than a simple “young player works hard” narrative is the relationship behind it. Jackson’s special teams coach is Anthony Levine Sr., a first-year Ravens special teams coordinator in 2026 who also built his reputation in Baltimore’s return, coverage, and tackling lanes. The two share more than position familiarity. Both came from FCS schools (Jackson at Illinois State, Levine at Tennessee State), both entered the league undrafted, and both carved out a career identity as safeties who could influence special teams outcomes.

Levine, who wore the nickname “Co-Cap” during his 12-year playing stint in Baltimore, now has a direct coaching mandate to shape Jackson’s development without forcing it into a mirror image. Jackson said Levine has told him he will provide the foundation, but that Jackson’s ceiling is higher than Levine’s was, especially in terms of physical attributes and what Jackson can become. Levine’s own view, as quoted in the feature, is that the mindset might overlap, but the player’s tools and range do not have to be limited to the coach’s past.

The Ravens also see leadership opportunity opening up. Baltimore did not re-sign Jake Hummel, who was brought in last season as a core special teams veteran, according to the same report. With that kind of steady presence gone, Jackson is being positioned to take on more responsibility, not just for his own snaps, but for pushing the unit’s standards alongside the coaching staff. Jackson framed his goal as improving while also helping lift teammates, describing it as making the special teams unit “a true force.”

Still, the Ravens’ plans are not confined to the third phase. The report notes that Jackson is competing in safety group work around established names, including Kyle Hamilton, Malaki Starks, and Jaylinn Hawkins. It also says Jackson made a defensive impact during Organized Team Activities by coming up with an interception during practice, an indicator that his growth is not limited to coverage effort, but also includes instinct and ball production when the opportunity comes.

In the broader Ravens context, this is also a culture test for a coordinator and his protégé. Levine’s transition from assistant to coordinator has been framed by the organization as an earned, hands-on leadership step, one tied to maintaining Baltimore’s emphasis on special teams as a championship-level discipline. For Jackson, the immediate “next step” is plain in the quote from Levine: keep making plays, day after day, because undrafted players cannot take job security for granted. For the team, the payoff they will be watching for is whether Jackson’s consistency can expand, and whether his special teams role can grow into the kind of elite reputation that turns a roster value into an All-Pro conversation.