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2016 NFL Draft Profile: William Jackson III, CB Houston

By Adam Carlson

Oct 24, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Houston Cougars defensive back William Jackson III (3) intercepts a pass against UCF Knights during the first half at Bright House Networks Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 24, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Houston Cougars defensive back William Jackson III (3) intercepts a pass against UCF Knights during the first half at Bright House Networks Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Houston cornerback William Jackson III is a talented young player in the 2016 NFL Draft, but would his skills be a good fit for the Minnesota Vikings?

The NFL is a passing league. These days, quarterbacks are putting up crazy numbers throwing to big, fast wide receivers. Because of that, finding talented cornerbacks has been one of the biggest challenges facing NFL teams today. Luckily for them, Houston’s William Jackson III could be an option for teams in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Jackson shows the footwork and speed to be able to keep up with even the best pass catchers in the league. On tape, he changes directions well out of the back pedal and confirmed that speed at the NFL Scouting Combine by putting up great numbers in the 40 yard dash. He’s tall with long enough arms to be able to disrupt passing plays against some of the biggest receivers in the league.

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The big downside when it comes to Jackson is his strength. He’s not the kind of player you want going up against a player who will bully him up and down the field. But after adding some muscle in the weight room, he may be able to rectify this issue. However, he may have some problems with frustration as well, as he got a lot of penalties.

Here are William Jackson III’s numbers from the events at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine according to NFL.com:

Dec 31, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Houston Cougars cornerback William Jackson III (3) intercepts the ball intended for Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Jesus Wilson (3) in the second quarter of the 2015 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Houston Cougars cornerback William Jackson III (3) intercepts the ball intended for Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Jesus Wilson (3) in the second quarter of the 2015 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /

Height: 6’0″

  • Weight: 189 pounds
  • Arm Length: 31 3/4″
  • Hand Size: 9 1/4″
  • 40 Yard Dash: 4.37 seconds
  • Weightlifting: 10 reps
  • Vertical Jump: N/A
  • Broad Jump: 116″
  • 3 Cone Drill: N/A
  • 20 Yard Shuttle: N/A

    • William Jackson III compares to:

    Fit for the Minnesota Vikings:

    There is always room on a team for a talented young cornerback on an NFL roster. Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes project to be the starters, but the Vikings may be losing Marcus Sherels this season and Terence Newman could be retiring after next year. Preparing for that turnaround would be smart.

    Next: 5 moves the Vikings should have made in free agency

    My Take:

    In today’s NFL, I tend to like more physical cornerbacks. However, with Jackson projecting to be a second round pick, I wouldn’t complain as long as he wasn’t the first pick the Vikings make in the draft. If another major need can be addressed first, Jackson could be an interesting pick to help ensure that the team can be competitive against some of the best passing offenses in the NFL.

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