Big Board ranking: #23
Positional ranking: #5
Overview
Position: EDGE
College: USC
Class: Junior
Age: 21
Measurables
Height: 6’3 5/8”
Weight: 254 lbs.
Arm length: 34″
Hand size: 10 1/8″
Athletic testing
40-yard dash: N/A
Vertical jump: 36.5″
Broad jump: 127.0″
Bench press: N/A
3-cone drill: N/A
Short shuttle: N/A
Strengths
Prototype overall size. Carries ideal weight in athletic frame. Natural athleticism and balance. Rarely ends up on the ground. Great range as a tackler. Excellent play recognition and instincts. High-level run defender in general. Exceptional discipline playing zone reads. Tremendous pursuit away from the ball. Aggressive getting in on the action for gang tackles. Strong setting the edge. Extends with both arms to keep offensive lineman off his frame. Not afraid of fighting in the trenches. Very impressive dip move when used (should be used more). Effective swipe move. Has flashed a spin move. Not fooled by quarterback pump fakes when in pursuit. Has the speed to stay close to mobile quarterbacks that break the pocket. Comfortable dropping into coverage. Very good awareness against the pass. Effective jamming to cover underneath routes. Shows strength as a three-technique in heavy personnel. Will crash inside to disrupt a play. Seems to always make an impact in goal-to-go situations. Mostly stand-up outside linebacker but has scheme versatility. Great all-around hustle. Plays for 60 minutes.
Weaknesses
Lacks elite twitch. Speed rushes are often too wide. Would like to see him try to make the play for himself more often when setting the edge. Still putting it all together as a pass rusher.
NFL comparison
Chandler Jones
Conclusion
Overall, Jackson is a high-upside edge defender that plays the run at a high level and can develop into one of the game’s best pass rushers based on the flashes shown. His effort and instincts are reasons to feel good about him as a worthy selection in the middle of the first round.
It sounds like a good draft class for the first round