Jackson breaks out with the Avengers

In the Arena Football League, high-volume receivers who catch a lot of touchdown passes do not emerge overnight.

Because of the condensed size of the field, receivers have only a limited amount of room and it takes time to figure out the indoor game. Routes are quicker, angles are sharper and the windows to make plays are much tighter.

The Avengers’ Lenzie Jackson, a four-year AFL veteran receiver having a breakout season this year, is a perfect example of the maturation process.

“Out of all the years that I’ve played indoors, I feel that I just now have an understanding of the speed of the game,” said Jackson, who already has 44 catches for 479 yards and seven touchdowns for the Avengers (2-2), who will play host to Arizona tonight at Staples Center.

After catching only 62 passes in his first three seasons, Jackson has been giving defensive backs fits.

“Things are starting to finally come around,” he said. “Because the field is very small, this is definitely a quick-pace game where if you beat your guy off the break, he doesn’t have time to recover.

“That’s why learning the angles is so important, especially on post patterns and corner routes. In the outdoor game, if you had a fast cornerback, you knew he had time to catch up to you. In the indoor game, once you get a guy beat, it’s pretty much over.”

Like many AFL players, Jackson spent time playing professional football outdoors. It’s just that Jackson’s experience was more than most, as he played in 21 NFL regular-season games for three teams after a standout career at Arizona State.

So when Jackson made his AFL debut with the Carolina Cobras in 2004, he expected to do big things in his new league.

He didn’t.

This year, however, Jackson has flourished in his role as slot receiver.

With second-year quarterback Sonny Cumbie throwing to him in a variety of situations, Jackson leads the AFL in receptions per game (11).

“I could tell through camp and in our first game against San Jose that I was going to get a chance to be a big contributor to the offense,” said Jackson, who played with Columbus before signing as a free agent with the Avengers in 2006. “It felt good to know that I wasn’t going to be a spot player again.”

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TONIGHT

vs. Arizona, 7:30

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 570, 1330.

Records -- Avengers 2-2, Rattlers 1-4.

Record vs. Rattlers (2006) -- 1-1.

Update -- After going 2-1 on the road, the Avengers face division rival Arizona in their first game at Staples Center since March 4. The Rattlers lead the AFL in rushing yards per game (36.6), and quarterback Sherdrick Bonner leads the league in third-down passer rating (129.0).

Tickets -- 1-888-AVENGERS.

lonnie.white@latimes.com