The 2021 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Warren Jackson 2021 NFL Draft profile.
Background
Position: Wide Receiver
Size: 6-foot-6, 215 pounds
Class: Senior
2019 Stats: 77 receptions, 1,119 receiving yards, eight touchdowns catches, 14.5 yards per catch (in 10 games played)
After the initial cancellation of the fall football season by the Mountain West Conference, Warren Jackson decided to leave Colorado State. Jackson prepared for the 2021 NFL Draft after developing nicely for the Rams over the last few seasons.
Although he had offers to Power 5 conference schools, Jackson was rated as a three-star prospect and chose to go to Colorado State. As a freshman, Jackson played sparingly and totaled 15 receptions for 265 yards and two touchdowns. The Rams went 7-6 that season. His play improved in his second season on campus, as he had 32 catches for 405 yards and four touchdowns. Unfortunately, Colorado State would only be able to win three games that season. He was one of the most improved players in the country as a junior, when he posted 77 catches for 1,119 yards and eight touchdowns. They picked up four wins on the season, which left them ineligible for a bowl game.
Jackson comes from a Colorado State program that has had several wide receivers drafted over the last few seasons. With the way he has played, he is the next one in line. He is projected to be a mid to late-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Strengths
The biggest strength for Jackson is his size. He stands at 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, giving him elite size for his position. While he could add some play strength, his frame allows him to be a matchup problem for defensive backs. He also has a huge catch radius because of his frame, which will make him a quarterback-friendly target.
He is great at winning 50-50 balls, making him a threat in several areas. Jackson had success on deep passes because of his ability to tower over defenders. This is what also makes him valuable in the red zone. NFL teams will be able to use him on goal-line fades and slants because of his ability to make plays in jump ball situations.
Blocking is often overlooked with receivers, but Jackson will be one of the better blocking wide receivers in the class. He has the frame and length to withhold blocks for an extended period of time on the perimeter. Jackson has also shown good effort while blocking, as he will make his way several yards down the field to complete his block to help spring big runs.
Weaknesses
His quickness and agility will be the biggest thing looked at for the next level, as he has pretty stiff hips. He runs decent routes, which helps him get open, but because he doesn’t have the best acceleration or change of direction skills, NFL corners will be able to stay with him. This also limits what he can do with the ball in his hands.
Jackson is a player that can usually be seen being tackled shortly after catching the football. He doesn’t have the necessary speed or strength to be a great ball carrier in the open field. On short passes and screens, he may not be used very often for this exact reason.
He does have strong hands to pluck the ball out of the air, but Jackson also has some drops. Most of these are focus drops that can be corrected, but sometimes he can have trouble with catches in traffic as well. The best way to make sure Jackson catches the ball is to get some air under the ball and to let him go get it.
Projected Draft Range: Fifth Round Pick-Seventh Round Pick
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