2026 NFL Prospect Profile: Alabama’s Cornerback Domani Jackson

Domani Jackson attended Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, where he played football and competed in track and field. In 2021, he tied the California state record in the 100 meters with a time of 10.25 seconds and was selected to the PrepStar Dream Team after helping Mater Dei to a 12-0 record and the 2021 national, state open Division and CIF Southern Division I titles. He was ranked by ESPN at No. 9 nationally and No. 1 in California in its ranking of the top college recruits in the Class of 2022. He was a consensus five-star recruit and after narrowing his final choices to USC, Michigan, and Alabama, Jackson committed to USC in December 2021. 

Jackson played sparingly in seven games for USC in 2022. He totaled two tackles and one pass defended. He saw some playing time in different nickel packages in his sophomore season and ended the season with 33 tackles and three passes defended in 11 games. After the season, Jackson entered the transfer portal and elected to transfer to the University of Alabama for the 2024 football season.

Strengths

• Speed
• Footwork
• Length
• Athleticism
• Recovery Speed
• Fluid Movement

Domani Jackson has elite speed and may be one of the fastest prospects at any position coming out in 2025. He has been timed at 4.28 in the 40-yard dash and his speed allows him to recover when he is initially beaten on a route. He can cover a lot of ground in very little time. 

Jackson is solidly built with above-average length, which helps disrupt receivers trying to get clean releases off the snap and in contested catch scenarios. He possesses efficient mechanics and footwork that help him mirror receivers, and Jackson has the agility and speed to make plays all over the field.

Weaknesses

• Instincts
• Ball Tracking
• Raw
• Injury History
• Tackling Mechanics

Although Jackson has pro speed and is a willing tackler, he will need to work on his tackling mechanics to be more effective against the run. He has had some significant injuries during his brief career, including knee issues in high school, and has yet to play a full season since his junior year at Mater Dei. At times, it looks like Jackson is just an athletic defensive back covering receivers without much production in the way of defending passes and or interceptions. He lacks high-level ball tracking skills, and although he is in position, he misses out on solid opportunities. He does not possess the "pure" instincts of other top prospects and relies on speed too much. 

Conclusion 

Domani Jackson may have the highest ceiling of any cornerback prospect in the draft, but with his limited film and injury history, it would be a risk to select him in round one or two. A big season in Alabama in 2025 could catapult him into a higher pick, and he will definitely be a player that scouts will want to see at the combine and senior bowls. 

Comparing Jackson to Baltimore Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins is solely based on their speed and their body types. Wiggins was a first-round pick by Baltimore in 2024, and at that point in his career has a much deeper resume than Jackson. That being said, Jackson has the ceiling to be a game-changer in the NFL.