Darrell Jackson Jr. DT Florida State |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Scouting Report: Weaknesses

• Pass rush production fell sharply in 2025 after a solid 2024 campaign.
• Limited rush moves beyond the bull rush; no reliable counter when stalled.
• Slow off the snap and often stands up out of his stance too quickly.
• Tight hips and stiff lower body limit his ability to redirect and work laterally.
• Gets uprooted by double teams when his pad level creeps up on him.
• Hands are late to fire on passing downs, giving blockers time to establish position.

Scouting Report: Summary

Jackson's calling card at the next level will be his run defense. His size and reach give him a natural advantage absorbing blocks and controlling gaps, and his senior tape showed meaningful improvement in how he finishes plays. The tackling issues that plagued his 2024 season largely cleaned up, which matters for a player who needs to be dependable on early downs. He is not a player who will win with speed or bend, so his value is tied directly to how well he can hold the point and keep linebackers clean behind him.

The pass rush is where the concerns stack up. His 2024 numbers suggested a player who could push the pocket from the interior, but the 2025 tape tells a different story. The pressure totals dropped, and his rush plan still starts and ends with a straight bull move. Without developing counter techniques or quicker hands at the line of scrimmage, he will struggle to stay on the field in obvious passing situations at the NFL level. The stiffness in his lower half limits what he can do as a rusher, and that is unlikely to change much with pro coaching.

In a scheme that asks its nose tackle or three-technique to eat space and occupy blockers on first and second down, Jackson can fill that role. An odd-front defense that values a big, long interior presence to two-gap and free up linebackers is the best landing spot. He will need to earn passing-down reps over time, and his ceiling depends largely on whether he can add even one counter move to complement his power. The floor is a rotation piece who contributes against the run. The upside is a starting nose who holds up well enough at the point of attack to anchor an interior.