Donovan Jackson, Ohio State: 2025 NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Jackson was a five-star recruit from Episcopal High School in Bellaire, Texas in the class of 2021

Ohio State offensive lineman Donovan Jackson has improved by leaps and bounds over the past two seasons. He projects as an early third round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. Jackson will enter the league with one of the most physically imposing frames among all left guards.

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Donovan Jackson, LG Ohio State: 2025 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Redshirt junior left guard from Bellaire, Texas

Background: Jackson was a five-star recruit from Episcopal High School in Bellaire, Texas in the class of 2021. He was the No. 19 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 13 for Rivals, and No. 14 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 70th in the nation (four-star) with an 86 grade out of 100. Jackson played his high school freshman season at Houston Christian before transferring to Episcopal. He was the offensive line MVP at The Opening in July of 2019. As a junior, Jackson helped Episcopal win the Southwest Preparatory Conference 4A Title. He was invited to the Army All-American Bowl. In the spring of 2019, Jackson won Southwest Preparatory Conference State Championships in shot put (52-3 1/2) and discus (165-0). He had a verified 82.5-inch wingspan in high school.

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed two games in 2024 with a hamstring injury

Awards: 2022 First Team All-Big Ten (Media), 2022 Second Team All-Big Ten (Coaches), 2023 First Team All-Big Ten, 2024 First Team All-Big Ten

Pros: Rarely penalized, Freaks List inclusion, gained experience playing left tackle in 2024, more than 2,300 career offensive snaps, wingspan and arm length, good thickness throughout frame, wide base in pass pro, sits low in pass set, sturdy anchor to stall power rushers, full stopping power in pass pro, buries blitzers, grip strength, drives nice power through his hands, powerful arm extensions, hand placement mostly protects his chest, heavy hands show up against OLBs when playing left tackle, adjusts feet to stay attached and angled properly on pass blocks, good leg drive in the run game, latches and strains to finish blocks, tough run blocker who looks for pancakes on the move, generates some nice vertical displacement, washes defenders away on down blocks, enough burst to establish reach blocks, combo blocking to the second level, overpowers second level defenders, mobility for pulls in a gap scheme, enough speed to lead block on outside zone

Cons: Some waist bending in pass pro, seems unsure in space when left uncovered in pass set, can be slow to ID and adjust for stunts, limited agility in pass set for sudden redirection, explosive rushers can cross his face, some struggles mirroring and matching defenders when he can’t latch, bendy rushers capture and win around outside shoulder, lacks recovery speed, feet stuck in the mud sometimes when on blocks in pass pro, occasional narrow base leads to him being walked into the pocket, clubbed and pulled off balance by NFL-powered DTs, clubbed and beaten through the B-gap by Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher (2024), some lunging and leaning in the run game, vulnerable to swim moves, pad level pops up on the move, occasionally loses the angle on down blocks and falls off the block, leg drive creates inconsistent displacement

Overview: Jackson played the vast majority of his more than 2,300 career offensive snaps at left guard, but he kicked outside to left tackle in 2024 to cover for injuries. His wingspan and arm length meet tackle thresholds and far exceed them for an interior player. Jackson’s frame is thick and powerful. He appeared on Bruce Feldman’s 2024 Freaks List for The Athletic. According to Feldman, Jackson bench presses 490 lbs. and squats 610 lbs. His 1.59 ten-yard split would tie for the fastest in MockDraftable’s offensive line database, which has NFL Combine information dating back to 1999. Additionally, he jumps 30 inches in the vertical and 9-7 in the broad. Jackson maintains a low pad level and wide base in pass protection. Power rushers struggle and usually fail to break his anchor. The redshirt junior deploys powerful and heavy hands that knock around smaller interior and edge players. His hand placement prevents defenders from accessing his chest, and his grip strength helps him take control of reps. Jackson repositions himself to stay attached to blocks, but his feet sometimes stop moving and allow defenders to escape his block. He bends at the waist in pass protection, which makes him vulnerable to club-swims. The Texas native is late to identify some stunts and lacks the agility to consistently redirect and cut off explosive rushers. He struggles to mirror defenders when his punches and clamp don’t land. Jackson lacks the recovery speed and lateral fluidity to ward off bendy pass rushers that draw even with his shoulder. The instances when he loses to power rushers involve him setting a narrower base than usual. Nebraska’s Nash Hutmacher and Ty Robinson gave Jackson trouble with their powerful clubs and push-pulls. The pull moves took advantage of Jackson’s waist bending, and the clubs knocked him out of his stance. Jackson is a tough run blocker who drives his legs through the whistle and looks for pancakes. He latches and strains to finish blocks. The former five-star recruit generates decent vertical displacement and completely washes away defenders on down blocks. He establishes reach blocks with his impressive initial burst and is comfortable combo blocking to the second level. Jackson moves well for his size and can pull or lead block. He gets caught lunging or leaning occasionally. His pad level jumps up when he’s on the move. Jackson’s ability to generate vertical displacement is inconsistent.

Overall, Jackson is a powerfully built guard with elite physical traits who offers future starting potential in the NFL. He fits multiple run schemes and has shown significant improvement in pass protection since last year. Jackson faces some agility limitations but possesses the length and powerful hands to compensate for this issue.

Role & Scheme Fit: Left guard in an inside zone or gap scheme

Round Grade: Early Third Round

Size: 6'4", 320 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 11-11-24

Updated: 12-10-24