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LSU's Jackson and Central Florida's Hughes Strengthen Corner Class

Updated Nov. 16, 2017
By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.

Some of the preseason top cornerback prospects for 2017 were players who have disappointed sources this year. That group includes Florida State's Tarvarus McFadden, LSU's Kevin Toliver, USC's Iman Marshall and Alabama's Anthony Averett. While those players have disappointed some evaluators, other cornerbacks have risen to help fortify the cornerback class. Two of those players who could go in the first few rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft based on where they are grading out are LSU's Donte Jackson and Central Florida's Mike Hughes.

Hughes started out his collegiate career at North Carolina before transferring to Central Florida. The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder has impressed some evaluators with his coverage skills, and he has been a big part of Central Florida putting together a 9-0 record this season. Hughes has four interceptions with a forced fumble thus far in 2017. Some teams have given Hughes a second-round grade for the 2018 NFL Draft. Others who aren't as high on him feel he should go back to Central Florida for 2018 to improve before going pro, but they also acknowledged that corners are in demand and go quickly in the draft, so they see the second round as possible for him if he enters the 2018 NFL Draft.

Sources say Jackson is extremely fast, so he will be a good matchup corner to lineup against speed receivers. He is athletic to run the route and prevent separation, and has good instincts and feel, but he is a gambler, so he could stand to play with more discipline for the pros. Scouts tell me that Jackson is talented, but has a ton of discipline issues to work on, and that might include some hard lessons versus pro receivers. Thus, the playing discipline and size could push Jackson down into the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft even though he has great speed with serious coverage skills.

Some sources think Jackson could be a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, while others project him to Day 2. Jackson has 31 tackles with seven passes broken up in 2017. As a sophomore, he had 39 tackles with eight breakups and two interceptions. Jackson is a track star and is expected to run an eye-popping 40 time that could push him higher. Scouts have heard that Jackson has ran in the 4.2s and has run the 100 meters in 10.2 seconds, which is rare speed.

Overall, sources say the cornerback class is above average. They don't think it is especially strong, but it isn't bad either. Having corner prospects like Jackson and Hughes emerge has helped to bring some value to the early rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft.