Getty Cincinnati Bengals quarterback William Jackson III.
One former first-round pick from the Cincinnati Bengals is getting a final chance at playing in the NFL.
Cornerback William Jackson III, the Bengals’ No. 26 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft, has joined the Tennessee Titans for rookie minicamp, according to Aaron Wilson from Houston NBC affiliate KPCR on May 10.
Jackson is a Houston native who played for Wheatley High School and the University of Houston. Titans’ rookie minicamp runs from May 10-12.
Veteran corner William Jackson III @UHCougarFB former #Bengals first round pick in #Titans rookie minicamp per a source @KPRC2
William Jackson III Getting Another Chance in NFL
Jackson was a two-time All-AAC pick for Houston and capped his college career with his best season in 2015, with 43 tackles, 5 interceptions and a staggering 23 pass deflections.
Jackson fell flat at the NFL combine after suffering cramps but bounced back at Houston’s Pro Day by running the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds — enough to propel him into the first round, where the Bengals took him at No. 26 overall and signed him to a 4-year, $9.07 million contract.
Jackson missed his entire rookie season with a torn pectoral muscle then spent the next four seasons playing pretty decent football on some pretty horrendous teams — a stretch of four consecutive losing seasons for the Bengals in which the franchise went a combined 19-44.
In his de facto rookie season in 2017, Jackson had a career-high 14 pass deflections and in Week 3 against the Green Bay Packers intercepted a pass by Aaron Rodgers and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown. In 2018, Jackson started all 16 games.
In 2020, Jackson had perhaps his most complete year with a career-high 45 tackles, 1 interception, 11 pass deflections and started all 14 games he played in.
That was excellent timing for Jackson’s wallet as he signed a 3-year, $40.5 million free-agent contract with the Washington Commanders (then the Washington Football Team) before the 2021 season.
Jackson missed 5 games due to injury in 2021 but had a career-high 2 interceptions — his former team made it all the way to the Super Bowl. Upset over playing time, Jackson forced a trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers after playing just 2 games for the Commanders in 2022 but never played a down for the Steelers.
Jackson did not play in the NFL in 2023.
So Much Talent: Breaking Down 2016 NFL Draft
The 2016 NFL draft was particularly stacked with talent across the board — not just the first round.
Jackson was one of five cornerbacks taken in the first round, although only one of them has ever made a Pro Bowl — No. 5 overall pick Jalen Ramsey.
The first seven picks in the draft have all been Pro Bowl selections and 11 total picks in the first round have been Pro Bowlers.
Probably the most amazing statistic from outside of the first round might be what happened in the second and third rounds, where 15 Pro Bowlers were taken across the two rounds — eight in the second round and seven in the third round.
Incredibly, one of the most productive running backs in the NFL over the last decade went in the second round — Alabama running back and 2015 Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry at No. 45 overall to the Titans.
Henry was also the second running back taken in the draft after the Dallas Cowboys took Ezekiel Elliott at No. 4 overall.