Projecting Iowa Hawkeye Joshua Jackson into the NFL

Will Iowa Hawkeye cornerback Joshua Jackson declare his intentions to enter into the 2018 NFL Draft? He has the skill and ability to get selected. Where could he go in the draft should he decide to enter it?

PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 01: Devon Cajuste

You could tell in Joshua Jackson’s time before this season that something special was brewing with him. He finally turned it up and played so well this season that he earned several honors and accolades for his performance. And he had some great games. Just think of the Wisconsin and Ohio State games. In those games, among others, Jackson shined.

Now he could be ready to take his show on the road and head to the NFL.

But if Jackson decides to forgo his senior season in Iowa City and enter the NFL Draft, where could he end up? What round could he end up going in? Let’s take a look at what makes Jackson special, where he could go in the 2018 NFL Draft and what teams may be interested in his services.

Jackson’s biggest trait is that he is a playmaker. He was seemingly in the right place at the right time this season and was always making plays. He was tied for the lead in the NCAA with seven interceptions (with two other players) showing that he can make plays. Jackson can read the quarterback’s eyes and follow them thus being able to get a jump on the ball and snag it.
Jackson just always seems to be in the right place at the right time.

When it comes to size, Jackson does have some advantages. He stands at six feet one inch and weighs 185 pounds. His size lets him stick with taller receivers and helps him contend for passes that are thrown up high. Jackson could either knock those away or grab them and take them down for the interception.

A good physical attribute that Jackson possesses is his long arms. With longer arms, he can pluck the ball out of the air easier and get those arms in front of the receiver to knock the ball away.

Jackson can also play the run well. While some cornerbacks may not be strong enough or willing run defenders, Jackson isn’t afraid to get his nose in on running plays and try to take down the ball carrier. He has good form in his tackling and is a sure tackler. This will go a long ways towards impressing NFL scouts and coaches before the draft. Tackling has gotten a little sloppy in the NFL so players that can tackle well will be at a premium.

In the NFL, there are defenses that play zone or man coverage schemes. Playing at Iowa, Jackson was in zone coverage quite a bit but could work in man coverage as needed. He can stick with his receiver in man coverage and can get into position to make the play. He will have to work on those man coverage skills a little bit more but should be able to excel in any defensive scheme.

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The sky is the limit for him.

Mechanics especially regarding dropping back into coverage is one thing that Jackson needs to work on. Getting out of his back pedal and adjusting to running with the ball carrier is something that he needs to develop more and should be able to work on in the NFL. Getting lower would also be a benefit to Jackson.

There is one major knock on Jackson that will be taken into consideration should he come out and enter the draft. He lacks a lot experience at the position and still has some learning to do. Overall, Jackson has played in a total 24 games with the Hawkeyes starting every game at cornerback this year but only one last year.

So that means, not including the game bowl game, Jackson has just 13 collegiate starts under his belt. That’s not a lot of college experience. NFL scouts and general managers will ding him for his lack of experience. Perhaps knowing this, Jackson might stick around another season to hone his craft and gain better draft position.

So where could Jackson go in the 2018 NFL draft? It’s really difficult to tell because his lack of experience makes it seem like he could be a mid-round pick. However, the production he had in the few games he played might tempt scouts and general managers into taking him; he could be a mid-first through second round pick. Granted, Iowa defensive backs don’t have a history of being taken that high in the draft but Jackson might have the talent to draw interest early on in.

But then remember what happened to Desmond King last year?

But draft position may not matter that much for Jackson. If he can land with a team and play strongly to start, he will earn a bigger contract while making his team better. Just look at what happened with Micah Hyde. He signed a huge free contract this past offseason and is making big money now. King is headed that way even after just a few games.

Could Jackson do the same?

Jackson is all over the map regarding where he could go so we will just assume he will go somewhere from the mid first to the bottom of the third round.

But to which team will he go to?

A team that needs some help at cornerback or have some room to develop cornerbacks is going to want to take a long look at Jackson. He has some punt return ability as well so a team will want to probably try him out there too. He is going to make a team but being able to play special teams will allow him to secure a spot on most any NFL team.

Consider it hard to project where he is going to wind up, but wherever he does end up, he will play well.

College football players have until the 15th of January to declare for the NFL Draft.

Let’s see what Jackson decides to do.

We will have more on Jackson’s status once he makes a decision.