3. Austin Jackson, USC
Size: 6-5, 322
The Good: The upside is enormous. He’s a fantastic athlete with the size, frame, and versatility to work at just about any position in any system. As is he’s already a very good, very solid player who can fill in a spot right away, but give him a little bit, and he might just be the best value blocker in the draft if he slips to midway through the second round.
How good an athlete is he? He came up with a shade over a 5.0 in the 40 and was one of the more explosive tackles in the combine drills. Best of all, he did it at a higher weight than expected.
Competitive nature.@ChocoDro killed it at the #NFLCombine‼️#TrojanMade ✌️ pic.twitter.com/Pw4gqvUE3K
— USC Football (@USC_FB) March 3, 2020
The Not-So-Good: There might be a learning curve. He’s got the talent to be among the best tackles in the draft, but he still needs some work and refinement. The technique issues are all correctable, but they’re there. Consistency will be the early key with him.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: He’ll fall outside of the top tackle prospects, but he’s got the tools and the talent to be a perennial all-star. If someone is a little bit patient – and can live through the growing pains – the payoff should be massive.
Projected Round: First