William Jackson III NFL Draft 2016: Scouting Report, Grade for Bengals Rookie

POSITIVES

A transfer to Houston from Trinity Valley Junior College, William Jackson III was a two-plus-season starter for the Cougars and has the height, speed and man-coverage skills NFL teams crave. A top-15 selection wouldn’t be a surprise.

According to Pro Football Focus, Jackson allowed just 47.4 percent of passes thrown his way to be completed. That stat is backed up by traits, as Jackson has all the tools to be a tremendous man-coverage cornerback. He’s fluid in and out of breaks and has the smooth technique to turn and run without losing steam. He’ll carry receivers down the field but is agile enough to click and close on the ball in front of him.

Jackson excels at finding the ball and making a play on it. He recorded five interceptions in 2015 and added 23 pass breakups. Thanks to top-tier recovery speed and enough size, Jackson is never truly out of the play if he’s lost on a double move. He can turn and run to catch up down the sideline.

A competitive, feisty player, Jackson has the tools teams want in a No. 1 cornerback.

NEGATIVES

Jackson doesn’t have ideal bulk or length (31 ¾" arms) and can be limited by his play strength both at the line of scrimmage and in the run game. Jackson excels in man coverage but hasn’t shown the press skills or strength to step right in as a pro.

Jackson has a tendency to be grabby in his coverage. In the games we charted, he was flagged for using his hands to impede the route. When he gets off-balance in his pedal, Jackson reaches to hold onto the receiver.

Jackson was inconsistent in his awareness and timing, but that points more to a scheme issue than a physical limitation. As long as he can mentally handle an NFL playbook and the various coverages used, he has the look of a longtime starting cornerback.

COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 6'0"

Weight: 189 lbs.

40 Time: 4.37s

3-Cone: 6.86s

Short Shuttle: 4.32s

PRO COMPARISON: Malcolm Butler, New England Patriots
FINAL GRADE: 7.00/9.00 (Round 1—Rookie Starter)