Carter's Classroom draft profile: Adoree' Jackson, cornerback

The Steelers have a questionable need for an extra cornerback that draws questions about how to add to their current group.

While Artie Burns and Ross Cockrell have shown to be young starters trending upward, the regression of of William Gay and the injury problems of Senquez Golson have drawn raised reasonable questions to the Steelers' need for a third cornerback that can play in the slot or outside against split-end receivers or flankers.

Thanks to that need, cornerback has been added to the positions that the Steelers may be looking at in the draft.

Among the list of candidates the Steelers can consider is Adoree' Jackson out of USC.



Jackson's issues before the combine were ones that he could not show that he had necessarily corrected through the events and drills that he would perform for NFL scouts. His main priority was to put on display that his speed and explosiveness would be able to push his style of play as a usable trait in the NFL.

Jackson is a cornerback that plays great in space and backed off receivers in order to bait quarterbacks into bad throws and quickly accelerate to break on balls at different points on the field. He's extremely aggressive, which can come back to bite him, but he needed to prove that aggression would be supported by solid numbers at the combine.

Jackson did not disappoint; his 4.42 time in the 40-yard dash was the seventh best of his position and shows that he would be able to keep up with NFL caliber receivers. His 36 inch vertical jump was the eigth best posting and his 122 inch broad jump placed him just outside the top 15 cornerbacks in the event.

While none of these numbers have him leading the pack, it shows that Jackson has the athleticism needed to play in the NFL. Some of those players that ranked higher than him in the events don't have the football skills that Jackson displayed in college, so it won't kill his stock that he didn't top his class in in any of his events.

Let's get into the film room to see just what those skills did for Jackson at USC:

BALL SKILLS

Jackson's ability to locate and high-point the ball while in stride will make him a good target in the draft. Watch how he locates the ball and boxes out his man to snag this interception:



His ball skills may have been of the best in the NCAA when it came to making spectacular catches in coverage. In the NFL he will go up against better receivers, but his ability to play the ball allowed him to make up for his 5' 10" height in college and could allow for him to make similar plays in the NFL.

On top of being able to box out receivers and make solid plays against them, he often showed great situational awareness of where he was on the field to keep himself in bounds.

The best example of that was in his interception against Colorado:



While one foot won't be the answer in the NFL, he knew what he had to do in this situation and made it happen. Moments like this display that a player can focus in crucial moments enough to maximize their physical talents to fit the situation they face.

Jackson certainly looks to be that style of player, as multiple instances he showed natural abilities to get the ball and win in situations that made his reputation of a playmaker. These are sometimes the hardest things to coach up in a defensive back, so when a player like Jackson displays those talents, it gives him an advantage over most other candidates.

BAIT SKILLS

Some of Jackson's best plays were when he used his quick burst to fool quarterbacks in tough situations to make bad throws. Watch this instance as Jackson is playing in a zone with a safety over-top of him:



While I couldn't find the best angle to show exactly what he did, I was able to make out that he pretended to pass off his receiver to the safety behind him, making the quarterback believe that he had a chance to fit the ball in closer to the sideline.

Because it's 3rd and 10, the quarterback has to get the ball down the field and his attempt 30 yards down the field gives Jackson enough time to recover and make a play on the ball.

What makes Jackson an interesting candidate for the Steelers is how he plays soft zone coverage, the style the Steelers use so often, and still finds ways to cut underneath and be aggressive on the ball.

In that same game, Jackson came back for another interception, this time jumping on a hook route while having what looked like a deep quarter responsibility:



One thing Jackson shows that scouts will love is the fluidity of his hips. He flows nicely in space when he's comfortable and that makes him difficult for quarterbacks to read if he has not committed to any one particular move on a play.

This is what makes some cornerbacks very good, in that they are able to fool quarterbacks because of their aggressiveness and making early interceptions. Over time, that ability gets noticed on film and scares quarterbacks from testing their side of the field even when the receiver might actually be open.

That can lead to a defense allowing him to command more space, which leads to tighter coverage in other parts of the field, which leads to quarterbacks holding onto the ball more and then the potential for more sacks.

PRESS PROBLEMS

What makes Jackson's stock drop significantly has a lot to do with his upper body technique when up close against receivers. He tends to not try to use his hands or arms when he presses opponents and is not a cornerback you'll expect to provide a lot of run support.

In that same game where he recorded two interceptions against Washington, he also got shook badly at the line of scrimmage. Jackson's reluctance to use his hands has lead to situations like this:



Watch how Jackson's feet leave him exposed when he tries to react to the receiver's initial move. They don't cross, but it leaves him committed to that first move and exposes the sideline for the receiver. While some might assess this play as a simple stumble during a one-time occurrence, this became a theme with the USC standout.

That same problem emerged when he bit hard on a double move against Notre Dame:



You can see the same components to what leads to this touchdown: Jackson chooses not to use his hands, commits to an initial move, then has no chance to recover once the second move has been made.

With the increased need for cornerbacks that can press receivers in today's NFL, scouts most certainly take note of these problems with Jackson. It lowers his stock, but not so much that he won't be a highly sought-after player.

RETURN SKILLS

Jackson has an X-factor that most cornerbacks do not, and that's an explosive return game. In fact, the kickoff that immediately followed the touchdown he gave up that we showed above.

Jackson's ball skills transcend just going up to get passes, they include the ability to fly when it's in his hands:



Jackson keeps his head up the entire time while setting up opponents with good cuts and using his blockers. He also shows off his 4.42 speed with quick acceleration through seams.

While the return game in the NFL has decreased in importance with the new kickoff rules, having a guy on your roster who can be a danger when he touches the ball during special teams can lead to the extra score that puts your team over the edge.

Jackson scored on eight returns, four on kickoffs and four on punts, during his collegiate career. He also scored six touchdowns as a receiver during his three year career.

STEELERS' STOCK

Now for the essential question: How could Jackson fit in with the Steelers?

Draft Position: Jackson has mixed values from experts all around. Some have him as a mid-to-late first-round pick, while others have him in the second or even early third. Many scouts assess him as a pure slot cornerback that can't play against receivers on the outside, thereby limiting his importance.

Those that mocked him to the third round might have to reconsider after his combine performance. Thanks to the increased importance of nickel and dime packages in today's NFL, covering quicker receivers in the slot has become essential to defensive survival.

Even if Jackson can only be reliable while covering the slot, that mixed with his playmaker ability should bump him to the first round, or at worst, the early second round.

This means the Steelers most likely would have to pick him with their 30th overall spot in the first round if they want a chance at him.

Value: Considering the more desperate need for a pass rusher, I see it as highly unlikely that the Steelers would reach for such a player in the first round unless all other options were unavailable. Kevin Colbert has followed his "best position available" stance for quite some time and there's a chance that Jackson may be the top candidate that has a first round grade left on their big board.

The Steelers could use a pure slot cornerback if Golson never recovers from his back-to-back season ending injuries that have prevented him from seeing a single NFL down. Gay's decline adds to the pressing matter of this spot of the defense, so drafting Jackson would give the Steelers four players who they could potentially rotate at cornerback in Jackson, Golson, Burns and Cockrell.

In addition, the Steelers could have a player they feel comfortable in taking the role of a full-time returner so that Antonio Brown will be able to avoid risk of injury on special teams. Many people thought that DeMarcus Ayers was that answer last year but that never materialized. If drafted, Jackson could be that guy.

My evaluation is that with Jackson's combine performance, he decreased the chances the Steelers would be able to draft him without trading up. I see him getting drafted in the first round by a team needing help in the secondary.

Taking the Steelers' blatant need at outside linebackers that can become elite pass rushers, it's unlikely that they would sacrifice picks to trade up in the draft if it does not mean they are getting an edge rusher.