LA Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is one of the hottest coaching names in the sport. After leading the Chargers to the No. 1 scoring defense in his first year in 2024, Minter is firmly one of the top head-coaching candidates for the 2026 season.
Schematically, Minter is already one of the best to do it on the defensive side. The defense he runs is simple for the defense to understand and difficult for the offense to get into a rhythm against. Whether it be his pressure packages or how he deploys the secondary, there are few holes in this Chargers' defense.
Minter is also an expert in getting the most out of players who were previously mediocre on their former teams. He did so last season with Kristian Fulton, earning him a $20 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs that they may now regret.
This year, Minter is working his magic with former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Donte Jackson.
Cornerback coverage metrics through week 3
— Stat Acccount (@AcccountStat) September 23, 2025
- Top right = "good" | Bottom left = "bad" pic.twitter.com/KsXkXtbJ3c
Jesse Minter has turned Donte Jackson into a true difference maker on the Chargers
Jackson came to the Chargers with an up-and-down track record that fans were not overly excited about. While Jackson had flashes of ball skills that were exciting, his overall consistency in the Pittsburgh secondary left more to be desired.
Through three games with the Chargers, that trend has not continued. Granted, it's a small sample size and the one thing inconsistency hates is a large sample size, but it's impossible not to be impressed with how Jackson has looked thus far this year.
As the graph above indicates, Jackson is leading the pack both in passer rating allowed and yards allowed per coverage snap. There are some prominent names Jackson is ahead of, which highlights just how special he has been for the Chargers thus far.
It is important to note, though, that Jackson has not come up against the toughest competition. Kansas City's receiving corps is in shambles, Las Vegas doesn't have any top-tier threat besides Brock Bowers, and Courtland Sutton had a big game against the Chargers (albeit due to other faults in coverage).
The real test will come when the Chargers play a team that has more than one dynamic pass-catcher to worry about. Despite it being a lesser team on paper, the New York Giants will present that challenge in Week 5 with Malik Nabers and Wandale Robinson leading the way.
But based on Minter's track record of getting the most out of players, Chargers fans can be confident that Jackson will continue an advanced level of play... even if he regresses from being the best corner in the sport.