Vikings begin Day 3 by drafting CB Khyree Jackson in the fourth round

Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft ended with the Minnesota Vikings adding a new face to their defense, and they began the third and final day of the draft by doing the same when they used their fourth-round selection on former Oregon cornerback Khyree Jackson.

Cornerback was easily one of the biggest needs for the Vikings heading into this year's draft, so it's not surprising that they decided to use their first pick since Thursday to add some more talent to the position group.

With this pick, Minnesota has now drafted at least one cornerback in each of the team's three years with Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as their general manager. Jackson joins a group that includes Andrew Booth Jr., Akayleb Evans, and Mekhi Blackmon.

What can the Minnesota Vikings expect from CB Khyree Jackson?

At 6-foot-4, Jackson will easily be the tallest corner on the Vikings' roster next season. While he is very tall for his position, he's also pretty lean at 194 pounds, so Minnesota will likely want him to put on a few extra pounds during the next few years to be able to better handle to brutality of the NFL.

Jackson actually began his college football career at Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, Kansas. After just one season there, he did enough to wind up in Alabama's locker room for the 2022 campaign.

After two years at Alabama without getting much playing time, Jackson transferred to Oregon before the 2023 season, and he was finally given a chance to show what he could do out on the field as a full-time starting cornerback.

In 12 games with Oregon last season, he accumulated 34 tackles (five for a loss), seven pass breakups, and three interceptions. In addition, he only allowed the players he was covering in 2023 to catch 50 percent of their targets, and opposing quarterbacks only had a passer rating of 41.6 when throwing the ball in his direction, according to PFF.

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein had the following to say about Jackson in his write-up about the young corner earlier this year.

"Extremely imposing outside cornerback with rare size and strength. Jackson’s measurables are a big plus, but he started just 14 games during his college career, so the technique is inconsistent.

He can be hit-or-miss from press, but when he catches the receiver with his punch, it’s trouble. A lack of anticipation and sticky hips cause him to get lost at transition points at times. Contested catches tilt heavily in his favor and will continue to do so as he improves with more coaching and experience.

Jackson’s size and physicality combined with his NFL-caliber run support should make him an early backup with a chance to climb the ladder into a starting role if he proves he has the necessary speed.

To begin with, Jackson will likely spend most of his time next season on special teams and as a reserve cornerback. But that shouldn't come as a surprise for a player who was drafted in the fourth round.

Jackson's impact on the Vikings likely won't be felt until 2025 or 2026. Maybe he'll surprise some people in training camp this summer, but no one should be expecting him to come in and start immediately for Minnesota next season.

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