Getty Tyree Jackson of the Buffalo Bulls, who is one of the top QB prospects left on NFL Draft boards.
One of the more interesting cases of the 2018 NFL Draft, Tyree Jackson possesses all the physical traits that scout salivate over, yet still finds himself available on the board heading into day three. Standing 6’7″ with arguably the strongest arm in the draft class and the ability to get out of the pocket and run, Jackson checks all the boxes in terms of what NFL scouts look for. However, his accuracy has been subpar in college and seemingly that alone has forced him down every draft board.
Interestingly, Jackson profiles out to be nearly an identical caliber prospect to Bills 2018 first round pick Josh Allen. In fact, Jackson is actually a slightly better runner and has been a more efficient passer during his time in college, making his slide down the draft all that more puzzling.
Tyree Jackson NFL Draft: Latest Mocks & Projections
Jackson was initially expected to fall outside the first round, however, not everyone expected him to still be available come day three. With almost every team looking for quarterbacks having filled the need already, teams aren’t willing to reach for a quarterback option and are more content sitting back and hoping a player falls to them.
Most NFL mock drafts projected Jackson to fall down to either the fourth or fifth round though many saw a reasonable shot that a QB-needy team would reach for Jackson and pluck him off the board early. Remember, just a year ago a quarterback with nearly an identical physical profile and track record was taken seventh overall. Due to a mix of not as many teams being in the hunt for a QB and the fact that Josh Allen struggled mightily, the market for Jackson has dried up quite a bit.
Cincinnati could be a possible landing spot for Jackson as the Bengals are likely willing to kickstart their search for the successor to Andy Dalton. While Dalton hasn’t been bad, he hasn’t done anything worthy of sticking around and has struggled to get the most out of an extremely talented Bengals supporting cast. While Dalton is good for a winning record most years, expect the Bengals to start looking for a possible replacement in the likely event that Dalton is never able to get them over the hump.
Tyree Jackson NFL Draft Scouting Report
With excellent size, speed, and arm strength, Tyree Jackson is an extremely tantalizing quarterback prospect. Possessing similar physical measurements and better college stats compared to 2018 first round pick, Josh Allen, have left many wondering just exactly what his upside is heading into the NFL.
The biggest knock on Jackson heading into the draft is his completion percentage. While scouts looked the other way for Allen in last year’s draft, Allen’s play showed just how much work his accuracy needed. Unfortunately, that comes back to hurt Jackson, who while not as inaccurate as Allen, still is prone to occasionally missing the wide open receiver.
For all his flaws, Jackson is still an incredibly high upside NFL prospect. While there is a realistic shot he flames out and simply cannot consistently hit an open receiver in the NFL, it is much more likely we see him find a way to contribute and actually outplay his draft stock.