PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Houston cornerback William Jackson III and Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch were chosen in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, marking the third straight year in which the American Athletic Conference has produced multiple first-round picks.
Jackson was taken with the 24th pick by the Cincinnati Bengals, while Lynch was selected two spots later by the Denver Broncos at No. 26 overall.
Jackson finished as the national leader in passes defended in 2015 (28) as he had five interceptions and 23 pass breakups in 14 games. He set a school record with seven pass breakups in the Cougars' American Athletic Conference Championship win against Temple and was named Defensive MVP of the Chick-fil-A-Peach Bowl after he had 10 tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups in the Cougars' win against Florida State.