Former five-star recruit with legitimate track speed (10.25 100m) who looks the part at 6-1, 194 with plus length, but has never been able to consistently put it together on the field across four college seasons. Jackson is at his best in press-man, where his physicality, hip fluidity, and long speed let him carry receivers vertically and contest at the catch point — but his tendency to get grabby downfield, bite on double moves in off-coverage, and his alarming 2025 regression that saw him benched behind Zabien Brown and Dijon Lee Jr. make the floor genuinely scary. The tools scream Day 2 corner, but the tape, the PFF grade (73.4, 248th among corners), the poor Shrine Bowl showing, and the fact that his own coaching staff couldn't trust him with a full-time role make this a Day 3 dart throw — the kind of player who'll test well and get drafted a round too early by a team that falls in love with the upside.
- Elite long speed with track background (10.25 100m) creates recovery ability that erases coverage busts slower corners can't survive
- Physical press-man corner with smooth hips to flip and carry receivers vertically along the sideline
- Adequate size (6-1, 194) and length that disrupts release points and impacts the catch point
- Willing and aggressive downhill trigger in run support — sniffs out screens and tackles with effort in pursuit
- 2025 regression was significant: lost his starting job to Zabien Brown and Dijon Lee Jr., snap count dropped from 610 to 437
- Stiff in short-area transitions — burst doesn't match his long speed, leading to separation at the top of routes
- Discipline issues in off-man coverage: bites on double moves, eyes fixate on QB rather than assigned receiver, gets grabby downfield creating penalties
- Limited ball production (2 career INTs in 46 games) despite elite physical tools — ball skills haven't caught up to his athleticism
Steelers Depot's explicit comp, and it fits: long, fast corner with the physical tools to be a starter but inconsistent discipline, grabbiness, and coverage lapses that limit reliability. Witherspoon bounced between teams before finding a rotational role — that's Jackson's most likely NFL outcome.