Ohio State IOL Donovan Jackson 2025 NFL Draft Profile

Donovan Jackson, G, Ohio State

Height: 6'4
Weight: 320

Strengths

• Athleticism: While Jackson doesn't boast elite traits, he's still a capable athlete. Whether on the move as a lead blocker, climbing to the second level, or redirecting to mirror, Jackson has shown the athletic that suggest he can hang with the top flight athletes in the NFL. 

• Play Strength: His anchor has significantly improved from what it was last season, and it has transitioned into a strength of his game. When paired with a good ability to generate movement in the run game, Jackson's overall play strength gives him a good floor for the NFL. 

• Awareness: I've seen some scouting reports that said Jackson struggles mentally and has a poor feel for the game, but I've not seen much of that on his film this season. He processes stunts well and handles just about everything defenses have thrown at him with little panic. Ohio State has a diverse run game and he's consistently executing his assignments without mistake. 

Weaknesses

• Footwork: There are reps on film where Jackson will false step out of his stance and it will cause him to be late on reps or out of position. While he is a capable athlete, he's not enough of an elite one to be able to recover consistently with such a technical lapse. Jackson will often overcorrect when this happens, and gets set up and beat across his face. 

• Use of Hands: Jackson has grown here from what he put on film last season, but his strike timing suffers some consistency problems a few reps a game. His growth year-to-year is encouraging, but further refinement will be needed against some of the savvier rushers he'll play in the NFL. 

• Athletic Upside: I think Jackson is close to "what you see is what you get", in terms of his upside as an athlete. He has the athletic floor to be an NFL player, but doesn't quite possess the same tools other top prospects in this class do. 

Player Evaluation

Donovan Jackson was a pretty difficult evaluation. His film is better this season than last, but I wanted to see more from him on a snap-to-snap basis for a player of his pedigree. He's a fourth-year starter whose warts are still largely the same that they have been over the years. Jackson's film should be better than it is, given his traits, and there's a disconnect there. 

Some of his game has improved, but the lack of technical development regarding his footwork and hand placement causes him to lose just too regularly and he gets swiped across his face often. Jackson just hasn't played like the tone-setting offensive lineman his tools and pedigree suggest he should be. He has the tools to be a capable NFL starter, but I do get worried about a raw player who is still raw after starting multiple years at a blue-blood university. 

Player Comparison

Damien Lewis (Carolina Panthers)

Lewis is a bit squattier than Jackson, but the playstyle comparisons feel pretty similar to me. The play strength these two boast make them terrific fun blockers, but their technical lapses as pass protectors on the inside bely their gifts. They are nearly impossible to work through, however, which provides some stability in the middle of the pocket. 

A To Z Rankings

A to Z Big Board Ranking: #48 overall, #3 IOL

A to Z Draft Grade: 8.04

Draft Projection: Day Two