2017 NFL Draft: USC Adoree’ Jackson Scouting Report
By Jon Dove
USC’s Adoree’ Jackson is an explosive athlete who needs to work on his feel for the game.
Adoree’ Jackson is one of the more exciting players in college football thanks to his game-breaking speed. His highlights include several kick returns and big-plays on the offensive side of the ball. The issue is that Jackson sees most of his action at cornerback.
Jackson is on the smaller side for the cornerback position and mainly looks to use his speed to make plays on the football. However, he lacks the instincts and overall awareness to play with consistency.
He has a tendency to lose focus and get lost looking into the backfield. This results in wide receivers running past him and getting open down field. His ability to track the football is also an issue has he struggles to get his head around and locate the ball.
Jackson’s focus issues come in to play when he’s asked to play in zone coverage as well. There are plenty of occasions where he doesn’t remain balanced which hurts his ability to click and
More from With the First Pick
- 2024 NFL Draft: Prospect Viewing Guide for Week 0
- 2024 NFL Draft: All Eyes On NFL Draft Defensive Prospects
- Player Spotlight: USC Safety Calen Bullock
- 2024 Senior Bowl Watchlist Announced
- 2024 NFL Draft: Florida State is Loaded with Prospect in 2023
close on the football. Jackson has the short-area burst to close on the ball, but struggles to identify the route which gives the receiver plenty of separation.
Despite his work on the offensive side of the ball, Jackson struggles to pull down interceptions. The biggest issue is he’s rarely in good position to create a turnover but there have been plenty of drops.
Jackson is a liability in the running game where he shows disinterest in making tackles. There are more than a handful of situations where appears to go out of his way to avoid the ball carrier. This is something that will be a major concern for NFL coaches.
It’s possible that Jackson’s future is not a cornerback but as a return man and offensive weapon. He’s a real difference maker with the ball in his hands. The issue with this is that he doesn’t have a lot of experience working on offense or running routes.
His draft status at this point is all tied up in his athleticism. However, he’ll need to show a better feel in coverage in order to come off the board early in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Current Draft Status: Late 3rd Round