If the NFL draft simply reflected college careers, Adoree’ Jackson may have been a top-10 pick. Instead, he was scooped up by the Titans in the first round with the No. 18 selection, giving them another cornerback and a dangerous return threat.
Adoree’ Jackson brings explosive ability to Titans in a 186-pound package
Adoree’ Jackson was as explosive as any player in the nation with the ball in his hands, but will face challenges due to his size.
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Jackson, 21, won the Jim Thorpe Award in 2016, recognizing the top defensive back in college football. It was at the end of a consensus All-American season that earned him 2016 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors, two years after he burst onto the scene as 2014 Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year.
But the decorated USC defender measured in at the NFL Combine at 5’10, 186 pounds, and that left him behind cornerbacks more physically suited for an outside role in the NFL. It’s possible that Jackson will be relegated to the slot, although he had limited experience there with the Trojans.
Why did the Titans pick Jackson?
“Jackson’s career at USC was full of spectacular plays on offense, defense and returning. On defense, Jackson has three-year total of five interceptions, on offense he caught 38 passes for 604 yards and six touchdowns—all the while returning a total of eight touchdowns on special teams. A highly-versatile athlete, Jackson noticeably improved his coverage skills in his junior year, as he grew more aggressive on defending the pass, and showed a greater ability to recover on initial missteps. Always a willing tackler, Jackson’s alpha-level of competitiveness saw him rarely give up on plays and was active on run-support.” — Read More at Conquest Chronicles
Simply put, Jackson’s college career warranted an early selection, no matter how he measured in on the scales. He was one of the most dynamic players in the nation with the ball in his hands, and was surprisingly good against the run, despite his diminutive stature.
The typical concern for smaller cornerbacks like Jackson is that they will be overwhelmed against bigger wide receivers and unable to provide run support. That will still be something to watch as Jackson’s NFL career begins, but it wasn’t a concern at USC.
According to Pro Football Focus, Jackson missed just four tackles during the 2016 season and received the 12th-best run defense grade among cornerbacks in the class. Neither is an overwhelming statistic, but they both dispel some of the concerns about his size.
How will the Titans find a way to put the ball in Jackson’s hands?
The difference between a good cornerback and a bad cornerback depends on that player’s ability in coverage. That will be the ultimate test of Jackson’s worth, but his skill with the ball in his hands is a bonus that could also act as a safeguard.
Even if he doesn’t become the starting cornerback, Jackson’s abilities as a returner are a good Plan B. During his time at USC, he took four punt returns back for touchdowns and had four kick return touchdowns.
He was so good with the ball in his hands that the Trojans found ways to use him on offense. He scored another six touchdowns on 39 career receptions.
Jackson will almost certainly be a returner in the NFL, but the Titans could even look to use him similarly to how USC did.
He also scored as a defensive back too, with one pick-six at USC. Despite a size disadvantage against most receivers he faced, Jackson tallied 19 pass breakups and six interceptions in three years.
What will be Jackson’s biggest challenge in the NFL?
Weighing 186 pounds didn’t stop Jackson from being a willing tackler in run support, but that doesn’t mean it had no bearing on his play. On physical routes like slants across the middle of the field, Jackson struggled to force incompletions.
It also led him to be aggressive when lined up in press coverage, and that resulted in some bad moments. His shakiness in one-on-one trickled into all matchups too, including one against the similarly undersized and speedy John Ross.
Covering smaller receivers in the slot could mask those concerns, but Jackson played few snaps inside at USC. It would be a new position for the cornerback and one that typically doesn’t warrant a first-round selection.
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