2023 NFL Draft: Does USC CB Mekhi Blackmon Make Sense For the Jaguars?

Could the former Pac-12 cornerback be what the Jaguars are looking for in the secondary?

The 2023 NFL Draft season is upon us.

Among the 32 teams building their rosters to compete for the next Lombardi Trophy is the Jacksonville Jaguars, who hold nine picks in this season’s draft -- including the No. 24 overall pick.

As we march closer and closer to April’s draft, we will look at individual draft prospects and how they would potentially fit with the Jaguars. Instead of looking at any negatives, we are going to look at what the players do well and if they could match what the Jaguars need at the specific role or position.

Overview

A no-star recruit out of high school who missed his junior season due to a transfer, Mekhi Blackmon broke into college football through the junior college ranks at first. He signed with the College of San Mateo in 2017 before becoming a three-star JUCO recruit and committing to Colorado in 2018. 

Blackmon appeared in nine games in 2018, starting three and recording 10 tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, and one forced fumble. He appeared in four games in 2019, starting two and recording 15 tackles, one tackle for loss, seven pass breakups, and one interception, though he missed nine games due to a shoulder injury. 

Blackmon returned as a starter in 2020, starting six games and recording 41 tackles, five pass deflections and one interception. He finished his Colorado career in 2021, starting eight games and recording 50 tackles, one tackle for loss, six pass deflections, and one interception, earning Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 honors.

Granted an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Blackmon transferred again in 2022, starting all 14 games for USC and leading the Pac-12 in pass breakups with 15, also totaling three interceptions and First-Team All-Pac-12 honors. 

What Mekhi Blackmon Does Well

An undersized but feisty outside cornerback, Mekhi Blackmon was a true dog on the field for USC's defense in 2022. He routinely punches above his weight and plays bigger than his size, offering enough physical toughness and competitiveness to hang with bigger tight ends and wide receivers. 

As a cover man, Blackmon is fluid and instinctive with all of his movements. He plays exactly like the experienced and seasoned cornerback he is, frequently undercutting routes and playing with a good understanding of leverage and route combinations. He is best at man coverage, where he can feel out his target and better position himself downfield and near the sideline. 

As a tackle, Blackmon plays with the intentions of a much larger cornerback. He drives through the hips of ball carriers and consistently takes good angles to the football, attacking with a balanced but aggressive play-style that helps him prevent yards after catch and after contact.

How Mekhi Blackmon Would Fit With the Jaguars

Outside of a small group of cornerbacks on the Jaguars' roster, there appears to be a healthy number of roster spots that will be decided by competitions over the coming months. Tyson Campbell and Darious Williams are going to start on the outside and Tre Herndon can be expected to be in the mix in the slot or as a top depth backup. Otherwise, it appears to be a free-for-all between Chris Claybrooks, Tevaughn Campbell, Montaric Brown, and Gregory Junior, plus a potential rookie like Blackmon. 

Blackmon's size and tackling ability suggests he has legitimate potential in the slot, though he was an outside cornerback during his college career. He could start off as an outside cornerback and compete against Campbell, Brown, Claybrooks, and Junior as a rookie, while also fighting for special teams snaps. 

The complexion of the Jaguars' secondary would obviously change if the Jaguars took a defensive back like Alabama's Brian Branch or Maryland's Deonte Banks in the first-round. If they don't, though, then they will need options on Day 2 and Day 3 to fight for a role in the secondary, and Blackmon would make sense as one of those names. 

Verdict

Blackmon makes sense if the Jaguars are still looking for secondary reinforcements on the third day of the draft. He could be drafted as early as the fourth-round after a strong Senior Bowl and a college career filled with experience and consistent play. 

Blackmon is an older prospect and his lack of size limits him to a degree, but he has the athletic traits and career production to take a bet on as a depth cornerback selected on Day 3. 

For all of our 2023 NFL Draft profiles, click below.

• CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia
• CB/S Brian Branch, Alabama
• TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
• CB Cam Smith, South Carolina
• S Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
• TE Darnell Washington, Georgia
• DL Bryan Bresee, Clemson
• CB Clark Phillips, Utah
• CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
• OG O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida
• CB Deonte Banks, Maryland
• EDGE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
• DL Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern
• EDGE Nolan Smith, Georgia
• OT Dawand Jones, Ohio State
• EDGE Keion White, Georgia Tech
• CB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
• OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee
• EDGE Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
• EDGE Myles Murphy, Clemson
• EDGE YaYa Diaby, Louisville
• EDGE Byron Young, Tennessee
• CB Garrett Williams, Syracuse
• CB Tyrique Stevenson, Miami
• EDGE Derick Hall, Auburn
• WR Dontayvion Wicks, Virginia