Jonah Jackson 2020 NFL Draft Profile

After four years with Rutgers, interior offensive lineman Jonah Jackson made the move to Ohio State for his final year of eligibility. During his lone season with Buckeyes, Jackson allowed just one sack, no hits, and nine hurries while playing in a career-high 926 snaps. Jackson spent the entire season at left guard and ended the year with a 78.1 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus.

Jackson spent the early part of his collegiate career with Rutgers. Initially signed as a three-star prospect, the Delaware native first earned a starting job in the 2017 season. Splitting time at center and right guard, Jackson didn’t allow a single sack or hurry on 274 offensive snaps. Jackson spent 2018 as Rutgers’ full-time right guard, and once again didn’t allow a single sack or hit on 733 snaps.

Strengths

Positional versatility to play both guard positions and center;

Above-average pass protector that can hold up to speed and power;

Quick off the snap and usually engages his man before his man engages him;

Aggressive player that doesn’t stop until the whistle blows;

Strong ability to recover after getting beat;

Has the speed to get to the second level and seal away linebackers.

Weaknesses

Below-average run blocker, although he showed some improvement in 2019;

Better suited for a zone-blocking scheme;

Doesn’t have the strength to move guys around in the trenches;

Not the most refined player – his reps don’t always look pretty;

Old for his class and doesn’t have much room for improvement.

NFL Comparison: Justin Pugh

Projection: Late second/early third

Bottom Line on Jonah Jackson

Teams are going to have wildly different grades on Jonah Jackson, depending on what they value in a lineman. In today’s NFL, it’s never been more important to be good in the passing game. This plays to Jackson’s strengths, as he’s one of the better pass-blocking linemen in the draft. Jackson is quick to engage his man off the snap, possesses great balance, and never lets his guy get a clear pass to the quarterback. His history of starting all across the interior, along with his success at Rutgers and Ohio State, shows that he can play in multiple schemes and has ideal versatility for the NFL.

Teams operating a more run-centric offense probably won’t be too high on Jackson. While he showed some signs of growth in 2019, he probably won’t develop into anything more than a serviceable run blocker. The Ohio State product tested well at the bench press, but the film shows a player that doesn’t have the strength to push bigger defensive linemen around in the trenches. Because of this, he’s better suited for a zone-blocking scheme, at least in the run game. Ultimately, if he lands with a team like the Kansas City Chiefs, he should be fighting for a starting job from Day 1. If he lands with the Jacksonville Jaguars, he probably won’t be anything more than a solid depth piece.

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