Jackson Carman NFL Draft Overview
Position: Offensive Tackle
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 317 Lbs.
School: Clemson University
Jackson Carman 2021 NFL Draft Profile
A big-bodied and sturdy lineman out of Clemson, Jackson Carman is one of the draft’s best-credentialed offensive tackles. While he might not have the polish of some of the players projected ahead of him, his physical tools still impress. A five-star recruit and the nation’s 17th-ranked prospect in 2018, Carman clearly brought talent to the Tigers. Interestingly, the Ohio native spurned the Buckeyes to play alongside Trevor Lawrence at the collegiate level. It paid off immediately, as the true freshman was a part of the team’s 2018 National Championship victory over Alabama. While Clemson didn’t win another title, Carman helped to push the team to playoff appearances in all three of his college seasons. Plus, he earned All-ACC Second-Team Honors after the 2020 season.
On tape, the size is immediately what jumps out from Jackson Carman; he looks the part. Especially when he’s in passing sets, Carman does a nice job sealing the edge, perhaps the biggest role of a left tackle. Rarely does Carman look overwhelmed by an edge rusher, regardless of their level of competition. Still, there were moments where he looked flawed in his technique and certainly needs more work to solidify his skillset. Further, he needs to prove his athleticism to teams in other ways, as he declined to participate in his pro day. Granted, his film from Clemson’s long string of success should help solidify his case to coaches.
Strengths
- Size and frame jump off the page for the professional game;
- Very capable pass blocker who looks comfortable in varied throwing sets;
- Fires off the ball and engages defenders quickly;
- Knows how to use his leverage to neutralize a defender;
- Shows upper body strength by blowing away pass rushers at the point-of-contact;
- Identifies stunts and blitzes quickly, makes all proper adjustments;
- Has enough agility to adjust in space.
Weaknesses
- Lunges at defenders and loses his center of gravity;
- Needs to get much better at hand placement, especially getting used to staying low;
- Sliding his feet doesn’t look like an easy task for the blocker;
- Needs to add more agility to his game in order to reach potential;
- More athletic edge rushers will out-maneuver him at the next level;
- Needs to find more leverage in downfield and run blocking sets;
- Might be better off moving to guard.
NFL Comparison: James Hurst
Teams With Need at Position: Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs
Projection: Second Round
Bottom Line on Jackson Carman
With the skillset and film that’ll leave coaches impressed, don’t expect to see Carman last long in the draft. While he’s unlikely to go in the first round unless a team falls in love with his size, the second or third seem probable. Given the league’s dearth of quality offensive linemen, expect him to fall off the board sooner than later. Overall, Carman is far from a finished product. He will benefit in any situation that allows him to develop inside or as a swing tackle in his early seasons. Still, his size and strength jump off the page and will certainly appeal to a lot of teams. While it seems as if left tackle won’t be Carman’s professional position, he has the tools to be a good guard or an adequate right tackle.
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