Ja'Quinden Jackson RB Arkansas | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Ja'Quinden Jackson RB Arkansas
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Work-Horse Back | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/03/2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.60 seconds (37%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Shrine Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Work-Horse Back | |
| Last Updated: 03/03/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.60 seconds (37%*) | |
| Bowl Invite: Shrine Bowl | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 82.2 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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76% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Rushing: |
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90% |
| Break Tackles: |
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78% |
| Receiving/Hands: |
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64% |
| Pass Blocking: |
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44% |
| Run Blocking: |
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56% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#196
Position rank:
#25
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| College Games: 35 College Snaps: 968 | ||
ESPN RATING: 86/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 97/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Brian Robinson Jr. - Alabama |
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85% |
| Kendre Miller - TCU |
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68% |
| ZaQuandre White - South Carolina |
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66% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Ja'Quinden Jackson arrived on the college scene as a four-star dual-threat quarterback prospect before finding his true calling in the backfield. After redshirting at Texas in 2020, Jackson transferred to Utah where he gradually transitioned from signal-caller to ball-carrier, finally emerging as the Utes' leading rusher in 2023 with 797 yards and 4 TDs. His football evolution culminated at Arkansas, where the 6'2", 229-pound bruiser became the first Razorback since Alex Collins in 2015 to score rushing touchdowns in five consecutive games.Jackson's physical tools jump off the screen when studying his tape. Built like a linebacker with the football in his hands, he brings a rare blend of size (96th percentile height, 93rd percentile weight) and natural power to the position. At Utah, he showed his ability to shoulder the load with three 100-yard performances including a career-best 129 yards against Baylor. The former quarterback's game made significant strides at Arkansas, where he recorded six 100-yard rushing performances and found the end zone 15 times in his final collegiate season.
The redshirt senior's unique background as a dual-threat quarterback at Duncanville High School (1,711 passing yards, 21 TDs; 1,030 rushing yards, 16 TDs as a senior) adds intrigue to his evaluation. His size-speed combination and power-oriented running style helped him collect over 2,000 career rushing yards between his stops at Utah and Arkansas.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Runs with exceptional downhill momentum and generates significant power through his hips, consistently punishing would-be tacklers who don't bring proper technique.
- Natural people-mover in short yardage situations who keeps his legs churning after contact and consistently falls forward to turn 2-yard gains into 4-yard chunks.
- Shows flashes of craftiness despite his size, occasionally delivering surprising jump cuts that leave second-level defenders grasping at air in space.
- Gets behind his pads effectively when hitting interior gaps, creating a battering ram effect that wears down defensive fronts over four quarters of action.
- Possesses the frame and willing mentality to develop into an effective pass protector, showing encouraging flashes when asked to pick up blitzers.
- Former quarterback background translates to above-average field awareness, particularly when identifying cutback lanes against aggressive defensive flows.
- Brings underrated slipperiness to the table, demonstrating the ability to reduce his hitting surface through tight creases despite considerable size.
- Offers potential versatility in specialized packages with background as a passer, creating potential wrinkles for creative offensive coordinators.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Limited long speed (4.60 forty) prevents him from threatening the edge consistently and caps his big-play potential at the next level.
- Runs with inconsistent pad level that creates an unnecessarily large target for defenders, limiting his ability to maximize his natural power.
- Shows delayed processing when reading blocks, often reacting to defenders rather than anticipating development of run lanes.
- Lacks desired wiggle to create his own opportunities when initial path is compromised, sometimes leaving yards on the field.
- Pass-catching ability remains largely untested, limiting his three-down potential early in his NFL career.
Scouting Report: Summary
Jackson projects as a specialized hammer in an NFL backfield committee where his bulldozing running style and power-based game can be deployed strategically. His natural ability to move piles and convert in short-yardage situations gives him immediate utility, particularly for teams looking to complement a smaller, more elusive featured back. The former quarterback brings intriguing versatility that innovative offensive coordinators can leverage in specific packages.While Jackson lacks the third-down polish and breakaway gear of some of his draft classmates, his frame and physical running style fit perfectly with schemes emphasizing downhill, between-the-tackles rushing attacks. His elite production as a runner at Arkansas shows what happens when he's utilized properly, though his limitations in the passing game will likely restrict his early usage to early downs and short-yardage situations.
The converted signal-caller brings undeniable toughness and physicality that will endear him to running back coaches, though patience will be required as he continues refining his technique at the position. His developmental curve bears watching given his relatively late transition to the position. Look for Jackson to earn his NFL paycheck initially as a short-yardage specialist and potential goal-line weapon who could develop into more with proper coaching and continued technical refinement.
Ja'Quinden Jackson percentiles vs other Running Backs (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Ja'Quinden Jackson (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
248.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
31.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.