Vikings’ Rookie Is Flying Under the Radar
The Minnesota Vikings added a plethora of intriguing rookies in the 2024 draft class. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will be evaluated based on the performance of his two main picks, J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner. In addition to that, he chose kicker Will Reichard, who has been promising so far in practices. One guy, however, is overlooked.
Vikings’ Rookie Is Flying Under the Radar
Adofo-Mensah’s third draft pick came in the fourth round after skipping the entire day two. Cornerback Khyree Jackson was acquired. Bleacher Report‘s Matt Holder labeled him as one of six overlooked rookies leading to training camp.
It was surprising to see Khyree Jackson fall to the fourth round. He was ranked as the 43rd overall prospect and sixth-best cornerback on B/R’s final big board primarily due to his size and ball production last year at Oregon.
Given the scheme fit and team need at the position, there’s an opportunity for Jackson to contribute immediately as a rookie. At the very least, he’s worth keeping an eye on during training camp as a potential surprise starter.
Jackson had a tumultuous college career. He started at Arizona Western at just 17 years old, but homesickness led him to return home to Upper Marlboro, Maryland. After six months, he decided to try again, attending Fort Scott Community College this time. Following his lone season there, he transferred to East Mississippi Community College, the place of the series Last Chance U. Unfortunately, the 2020 season was canceled, so he only played one football season between 2017 and 2020.
Still, he caught the attention of Alabama’s legendary head coach, Nick Saban, who lured him to the Crimson Tide, where the defender spent two seasons. Jackson was a backup but started in the Championship game versus Lewis Cine’s Georgia Bulldog at the end of the 2021 season.
Jackson transferred to Oregon in 2023 to complete his college journey. He secured a starting role, and his excellent performance boosted his draft status.
Holder referred to Jackson’s scouting report from Bleacher Report, and the article tabbed him as a second-round pick: “Jackson is an interesting prospect with a high ceiling. He still needs to shore up some things in the NFL, but he has the length and skill set that teams are looking for. Jackson has the potential to be an impact player in the NFL.”
The rookie impresses with outstanding length at 6’4″, and the road to Minnesota’s starting lineup isn’t as daunting as in some other teams. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores can choose between last year’s starter Akayleb Evans, free-agent addition Shaquill Griffin, 2023 third-rounder Mekhi Blackmon, and 2022 second-rounder Andrew Booth to play with Byron Murphy.
In his final season, Jackson played in 13 games last season and was targeted 38 times. He allowed only 19 catches for 200 yards and one touchdown while grabbing three interceptions, scoring a phenomenal passer rating of 41.6 when targeted.
Jackson is one of the older rookies at 24 (he will turn 25 in August), but unlike many other older prospects, he still has a ton of untapped potential, and technical refinement is crucial for his development.
Even if Jackson fails to claim the starting role, he can be an intriguing rotational player who can compete with taller wideouts, considering the size limitations of teammates Blackmon and Murphy.
His chance to showcase his skills to the coaches will come in training camp and the three preseason contests.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Focus helped with this article.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt