2024 NFL Draft Profile: McKinnley Jackson

2024 NFL Draft: McKinnley Jackson Scouting Report

McKinnley Jackson enters the 2024 NFL Draft following a decently successful career at Texas A&M. Over the course of four seasons, Jackson racked up 11 sacks. That may not sound like a lot, but it is not a bad number considering he was asked to play a lot of nose tackle. He did a good job of pressuring quarterbacks, too; Pro Football Focus has him down for 31 quarterback hurries over the past three seasons. While he found success as a pass-rusher, Jackson’s best work at the collegiate level came against the run. He did a decent job of holding his own against double teams.

Despite a 2021 arrest and two-game suspension for possession of marijuana, Jackson’s character seems to be held in high regard. After that incident, he went on to be selected as a team captain for both the 2022 and 2023 seasons. There do not seem to be any character or locker room concerns with Jackson; his teammates and coaches thought very highly of him at Texas A&M.

Strengths

Holds his own against double teams;

Even if he doesn’t make a play, will do a good job holding up two blockers;

Very quick out of his stance against the pass and run;

Strong core and lower body balance;

High motor, won’t give up on a play if beat initially.

Weaknesses

Lack of length could cause trouble dealing with longer opposition;

Doesn’t have a good first punch;

Struggles to get off blocks if he doesn’t win the rep right away;

Much of his pass rush production came via clean up or coverage sacks;

Lacks pass-rush moves, too reliant on being quick off the ball.

NFL Comparison: Keondre Coburn

Projection: Early Day 3

Bottom Line on McKinnley Jackson

With clear positives and negatives to his game, McKinnley Jackson is a prospect with some upside. He will enter the NFL as a serviceable run defender, but he will need to refine his pass-rushing if he wants to become an every-down player. His lack of arm length or strong hands could give him problems. He is partially able to overcome those limitations with quickness out of his stance and respectable strength.

Ideally, an NFL team will not utilize Jackson as a true nose tackle. He is better suited to line up in the A gap. There, he will either be able to utilize his quickness to get into the backfield, or take on double teams and open up rushing lanes for the linebackers behind him. What makes McKinnley an interesting prospect is the fact that he has high upside but he isn’t a complete project. Even if he doesn’t develop much further, he will still be a productive depth piece. But with the right development, he could become a starting defensive tackle with the ability to have a big impact.

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