Khyree Jackson 2024 NFL Draft Overview
Height: Six-foot-four
Weight: 194 pounds
Position: Cornerback
School: Oregon
2024 NFL Draft: Khyree Jackson Scouting Report
Coming out of high school, Khyree Jackson had to take the JUCO route in order to get to the highest level of college football. Initially, Jackson enrolled at Arizona Western College but left before the season in 2017. He did not play football again in 2018 and transferred for the first time.
In his first season in 2019, Jackson suited up for Fort Scott Community College in Kansas. He appeared in eight games and logged 25 tackles and hauled in three interceptions. Then, he transferred to JUCO powerhouse, East Mississippi Community College. Unfortunately, his 2020 season was canceled due to COVID and he elected to transfer yet again, this time to Alabama.
Despite never appearing in a game for EMCC, Last Chance U star coach Buddy Stephens called Jackson the best defensive back he’s coached in his 19-year career. He was considered a four-star transfer and a top-five overall transfer. In two years at Alabama, Jackson appeared in 21 games where he was primarily a special teams player and cornerback depth. He totaled 14 tackles and two pass breakups. Before the 2023 season, Jackson elected to jump in the Transfer Portal again and found a new home at Oregon.
Jackson broke out in a massive way for the Ducks and was arguably the best defender according to PFF. In total, he amassed 34 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, three interceptions, and seven pass breakups. He earned First-Team All-PAC-12 honors.
Strengths
- Great size for an NFL corner
- Adept at jamming receivers at the line and disrupting timing
- Will be great at blitzing off the edge
- Not afraid to come up and make a tackle
- Good ball skills and can high-point for the interception
Khyree Jackson in the Ravens’ secondary🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/CRcQbfWlPe
— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) April 12, 2024
Weaknesses
- Age (will be 25 in August)
- Very handy in coverage, may be a penalty liability
- Struggles to recover after jamming
- Does not have high-end speed or acceleration
- Relied on size to make tackles rather than technique
Player Comparison: Mike Hilton
Projection: Third Round
Best Fits: Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens
Bottom Line on Khyree Jackson
An older prospect in this year’s class, Jackson still has a little work to do before becoming an NFL corner. However, he has all of the tools and showed that he can be developed over the last year.
Jackson has corner ability in a safety’s body. He has impressive size and can move, although not quite able to keep up with the elite speed of receivers. One area where he will be great is in a Mike Hilton-type of role as a slot corner to start. He has good enough coverage and instincts to take away the pass but could have a great time as a blitzer.
He is also a headache in man coverage. Jackson has the length and strength to disrupt the timing at the line. He can come downhill and make the play but will need to refine his tackling technique as he won’t be able to rely on his size at the next level. NFL receivers are a bit more physical than average college football receivers.
He will likely be a later day-two pick and will be a worthy addition to a cornerback room. He has a higher ceiling than others but it’ll be crucial for him to catch on quickly as his second contract will be expected in his age-29 season.
Main Image: Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
