Overview
Position: Cornerback, Return Specialist
Height: 5’11″
Weight: 185 pounds
School: USC Trojans
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.42 seconds
Vertical jump: 36 inches
Broad jump: 10 feet, 2 inches
Adoree Jackson 2017 NFL Draft Profile
Swiss Army Knife, multi-talented, versatile, are all synonymous with Adoree Jackson. He walked onto campus as a Southern California high school football legend. His highlight tape was reminiscent of another USC great, Reggie Bush. The five-star cornerback made his mark and lived up to the hype as a Trojan. Head coach Clay Helton routinely called him “Super Man” and his play was often more than heroic. The super athlete also competed and succeeded as a long jumper and sprinter, winning the Pac-12 outdoor championship.
Jackson was the definition of “impact freshman” in his first year. He made his presence known in all three facets of the game. He had his “coming out party” against Notre Dame that year, starting at both receiver, corner, and still handling his special team obligations. His efforts that season were rewarded by winning the “Rookie Defensive Player of the Year” honor.
At this point USC knew what they had and began utilizing him. He made starts at receiver, corner and even safety (vs UCLA). He was the only player in the country to have at least 400 yards receiving, 600 in kickoff returns, 200 in punt returns and 30 tackles. Even as a sophomore, he was USC’s most valuable player.
Five interceptions and a season’s worth of receivers being shut down was good enough for Jackson to win the Jim Thorpe Award in his junior and final campaign as a Trojan. His 30 points split between kick returns and offensive touches left many wondering why Jackson was not invited to New York to be a Heisman finalist. Jackson steadily improved his ability as a cover corner and it culminated with his best season.
Strengths
- ATHLETICISM, the second he is drafted he will be an upper echelon athlete on his team;
- Elite breaking on ball out of backpedal;
- Fluid hips, no hitch in transitioning from backpedal to full sprint, especially in and out of breaks in routes;
- Smooth movement, makes athletic plays look routine;
- As a corner he is versatile, can cover well in both man and zone;
- Kick return specialist;
- Above average open field tackler for a corner;
Weakness
- Size, at 5’11, 185; he will be on the smaller side for an outside cornerback;
- Coverage: although he possesses great speed, Jackson struggled in vertical routes versus speedy receivers such as Will Fuller and John Ross III;
- Sometimes struggles to get off of blocks;
- Ankle injury suffered in bowl game might be an issue;
NFL Comparison: Devin Hester
Teams With Need At Position: Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots
Projection: Early to mid-second round.
Bottom Line
Jackson will be a project at corner. At USC, he did not look like a lockdown player at the position and in a draft rich with defensive back talent, he does not look to be at the top of the list. A team like New England would be a great fit. He is an instant impact player on special teams. On defense, with good coaching, he can be a serviceable nickel corner, and Bill Belichick would likely be able to find a way to use him on offense. His size could prove to be a challenge as an outside cornerback in the NFL, but he would be very valuable as a slot corner.
Mock drafts have him anywhere from early second round all the way down to the 68th pick. Where he goes really depends on the overall vision a coach has at seeing the whole picture with his speed, athleticism, and versatility. Getting him on the field is the key to seeing everything he has. His charismatic attitude and swagger could charm the city in which he plays and Jackson just might be a fan favorite.
