The Buffalo Bills, with an eye on boosting their defensive depth, have arranged pre-draft visits with at least three cornerbacks this offseason. The latest name to make a stop in Buffalo is Iowa’s Josh Jackson, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Jackson burst onto the scene as a junior this year with the Hawkeyes, snagging a nation-leading eight interceptions and returning two for touchdowns.
The 6’0”, 196-pound Jackson also broke up 18 passes this season, leading the FBS in total passes defended. A part-time player for Iowa as a freshman and sophomore, 2017 was Jackson’s first year in a marquee role, but he shined.
Jackson measured in as an above-average athlete for an NFL cornerback at the Combine, with a 38-inch vertical leap and a 4.03 short shuttle among his standout performances at the event. The one below-average drill was the 40-yard dash, which he ran in 4.56 seconds. He mainly profiles as a zone corner, with strong skills for anticipating throws arriving at the catch point, but not as much effectiveness tackling or with his man coverage technique.
Jackson is projected to land in the first or second round in this year’s draft, able to start from year one. The Bills already have two starting cornerbacks in Tre’Davious White and Vontae Davis, but Davis is signed to a one-year prove-it deal, and there’s little-to-no depth behind them.