:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66598193/1183440604.jpg.0.jpg)
Jonah Jackson, G
School: Ohio State | Conference: Big 10
College Experience: RS-Senior | Age: 22(?)
Height / Weight: 6’3” / 306 lbs
Projected Draft Status: Round 5 or 6
NFL Comparison: Will Rackley
Player Overview
Jackson played his first four years at Rutgers - at both center and right guard - and decided he wanted to experience a higher level of competition before testing the professional waters. In 2018, his last year at Rutgers, he was named team captain and was part of an offensive line that ranked 19th nationally, allowing only 1.33 sacks per game.
In 2019, Jackson became the starting left guard for Ohio State and ended up being named a third team All American and first team Big 10, starting 14 games for the Big 10 champion Buckeyes.
Strengths
- Excellent in pass protection.
- Great versatility: Can play both guard positions and center.
- Quick hands.
- Would be best suited to a zone blocking scheme.
- High football IQ, rarely out of position.
Weaknesses
- Tends to keep pads too high.
- Moderate strength could limit his value in the run game.
- Can struggle with hand placement.
Let’s See His Work
How He Would Fit
If there is one NFL constant, it’s that you can never have too much offensive line depth. With Ereck Flowers’ departure this offseason, the Redskins will have a new starting left guard in 2020. The odds are that 2019 draft pick, Wes Martin, will fill that role, but behind Martin, things get fuzzy. Fellow 2019 pick Ross Pierschbacher can ostensibly play both guard and center, but he received almost no playing time last season. The Redskins added guard Wes Schweitzer from the Falcons, as depth, but he looks to have limited upside.
Jackson’s willingness to spend another year marinating in college, at the top level of competition, strikes me as a very good sign. His football IQ seems to be widely agreed upon, and watch that video of OSU versus Clemson: He’s a force of a man, and in the instances where he’s not immediately engaged in protection, he’s got his head on a swivel looking for another defensive lineman to blast. If selected, Jackson is likely early interior line depth with the potential to grab a starting spot in time.