With The First Pick
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USC’s Adoree’ Jackson Still a Good NFL Prospect

By Carl Cockerham

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Adoree’ Jackson is probably the best athlete in college football. But it’s hard to tell how good of an NFL prospect he is because of his inconsistencies.

As an NFL cornerback, USC’s Adoree’ Jackson is the most tantalizing prospect in college football. The world-class long jumper is the best athlete in college football as it looks effortless for him at times. He wows you at times with plays that only athletes like him can make.

Jackson has tremendous feet with fluid hips and can jam you at the line of scrimmage. And when out of position, he has the make-up speed to get right back into position. The part-time WR can also read routes, break on the ball and has great ball skills.

You would think that he has no weakness but he does and one of them was on display Saturday. Jackson’s two major flaws are that he gets caught guessing and that he loses eye discipline. On Saturday, his superstar ability and flaws were on full display.

In the first half, he did a decent job on blazing fast WR John Ross of Washington. Ross had some catches early but didn’t go over the top on Jackson. But Jackson showed his superstar ability when Ross was lined up on another CB.

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He bated Washington QB Jake Browning into throwing deep on him by sagging off of his man. When the ball went into the air, he used his speed to catch up and vertical leap to make the INT. In the second half, his eye-discipline flaw was exposed by Ross.

Ross darn-near blew Jackson’s ankles and knees out at the line of scrimmage. He went for Ross’s fake instead of maintaining his eye discipline, looking at Ross’s hips. No matter what a player does, a player’s hips will always tell you which way he’s going.

But Jackson shook that off and came back with a great play at a crucial time in the game. Then in zone coverage, he read the QB’s eyes, made a break on the ball, and came up with his second INT. Against WRs with blazing speed, Jackson can’t get away with losing at the line of scrimmage.

That’s why Will Fuller beat him deep last year and Ross beat him deep Saturday. But an NFL coach can coach him up on his eye discipline an teach him when to jump certain routes. He has all the tools to become great at the next level and the team the drafts him will be happy.

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