Breaking Down Donovan Jackson

With the 24th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected Donovan Jackson, guard, Ohio State. Jackson was ranked #37 on the consensus board and the third ranked interior offensive lineman (after Tyler Booker (#31) and C/G Grey Zabel (#32)) and the third interior offensive lineman selected in the draft.

The Vikings were widely expected to trade down with this pick, given they have only four picks in this draft. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah acknowledged that there were offers to trade down, but apparently they were insufficiently compelling. It appears that the New York Giants were offering teams trading ahead of the Vikings (and likely the Vikings as well) a late third round pick (#99) and change to move up. At least a couple teams ahead of the Vikings turned down the Giants’ offer, as did the Vikings. The Texans, picking at #25, accepted the Giants offer of #34 and #99 and a 2026 third-round pick to move back.

Looking at the trade from a trade value chart perspective, it wasn’t a bad deal to trade down. However, doing so would’ve likely resulted in foregoing Donovan Jackson and several other good prospects for pick #99, which is beyond the sweet spot of talent in this draft. Jackson is a plug-and-play left guard- he played the position most of his career at Ohio State before playing the last nine games at left tackle due to a Josh Simmons injury- who can start on day one and hold down the job for the next decade.

The Vikings also may also have gotten an offer from the Falcons, who traded up with the Rams at #26 for their #46 (second-round) pick, their 2026 first-round pick, and #242 (7th round) pick. The Falcons also received the Rams’ late 3rd round pick (#101). Adding another first-round pick next season would’ve been nice but would also compromise the Vikings’ ability to add any starters this season. There is no pressing reason for the Vikings to accumulate another first-round pick next season (like moving up for a quarterback), so this offer probably wasn’t all that appealing had it been made to the Vikings.

Of more importance to the Vikings was completing the overhaul of their interior offensive line this year, which was also a major focus of free agency, to give J.J. McCarthy the best offensive line available to them between free agency and the draft. It was also important in the context of improving their running game as well.

Now the Vikings can check that off their to-do list.

Top Line Assessment

Donovan Jackson was born to be a guard. He was a five-star recruit and the top interior offensive line recruit in the nation in the 2021 recruiting class out of high school. He received his first scholarship offers (one from Ohio State) before he even started high school. He played three seasons with the Buckeyes and started 40 games- 31 at left guard and his last nine at left tackle providing him with ample experience against high level competition that should help his transition to the league.

Jackson was a steady, reliable starter for Ohio State who was never overpowered or outmatched despite facing some of the best defensive tackles in college football. He showed good overall technique and footwork and did well passing off stunts and twists. The main flaws in his game heading into the league are mainly improving his recovery when a defender gets the jump on him (he lost a couple reps to well-timed gap shooters) and becoming more of a finisher. He wasn’t a dominant force at left guard in college, but he was very steady and reliable, giving up an average of just under one pressure per game in pass protection at guard. Academically, he had the highest GPA on the team at 3.85.

Jackson also had nine starts at left tackle to end his career at Ohio State, which clouded his scouting reports in some cases where he was assessed as a tackle. But after a rough first start against Abdul Carter, Jackson did well the rest of the way to the national championship at left tackle. What that means for him at left guard in the league is that he should hold up well against edge rushers who move inside on passing downs in addition to more athletic defensive tackles.

Overall, Jackson has the size, length, strength, experience, and technique to be a week one starter for the Vikings at left guard.

Physical Traits

Jackson possesses a near ideal body type and good athleticism for the guard position, although his RAS score likely overstates his overall athleticism due to not completing the speed and agility drills. But his size, length, strength, and explosion will serve him well. In terms of athleticism, he’s shown that he’s very capable of pulling, making reach blocks, and being effective at the second level on tape, so his athleticism is more than adequate for his position.

College Stats & PFF Profile

Jackson started 40 games for Ohio State, 31 at left guard and nine at left tackle. He allowed 27 pressures over 31 games at left guard (3 sacks, 5 QB hits, 19 hurries) and 15 pressures in nine starts at left tackle (2 sacks, 3 QB hits, 10 hurries).

He was named First-Team All-American and First-Team All-Big 10 in 2024, First-Team All-Big 10 in 2023, and Second-Team All-Big 10 in 2022.

PFF Profile

Scouting Reports

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

Broad-framed three-year starter with core power and leg drive to hold the line of scrimmage or change it. He can stick and sustain in-line or on the second level and is a plus finisher. Jackson has the athleticism for all tasks as an outside-zone blocker. He is also able to accelerate and lead the way on long pulls or counters. He leans against stunting/slanting fronts, and he can be tardy in opening his hips and activating his feet for recoveries. He’s long but punches with wider hands and struggles to consistently maintain his edges when mirroring. Overall, Jackson has the measurables, power and movement for any scheme as a starting guard.

Strengths

Guard prototype with thick chest, broad hips, long arms and big hands.

Able to punch and stay clinched from a distance.

Uses core power, hip flexion and hand resets to thwart bull rush.

Uses length and upper-body power to thump gap shooters.

Displays above average “hit and stick” for longer sustain.

Strain and leg drive to push double-team blocks vertically.

Moves fluidly and with good acceleration for stretch blocks and pulls.

He looks for physical block finishes once he’s locked in.

Weaknesses

Wide protection hands leave his frame wide open.

Forward lean diminishes ability to widen and defend his edges.

Below-average agility and lateral quickness in recovery mode.

Quicker defenders can beat him with quick wins heads-up.

Becomes hurried getting off secure block and up to linebacker.

Kyle Crabbs, 33rd Team

Ohio State Buckeyes offensive guard Donovan Jackson projects as a budding offensive guard at the pro level. Jackson has apparent physical ability and has flashed high level moments, although he could stand to better unlock the fullest extent of his abilities with consistency via punch timing & placement, footwork lapses, and the need for better awareness of schemed rushers in pass protection.

He operates best as a phone booth worker, yet he showed admirable fight when charged with stepping in at left tackle for the Buckeyes down the stretch amid the injury to LT Josh Simmons. Jackson has enough athleticism and strength to serve as a viable option in any kind of run scheme, but he will need further coaching to develop the technical consistency required to bat at a high average at the point of attack and in pass protection.

Tale of the Tape

Jackson looks exactly like the prototype you’d expect for an NFL guard. He’s got a broad frame and a stout build, which offers him the necessary strength in all phases of the position to be an effective player. That said, he’s betrayed by some finer points that cancel out his natural strength and apparent athletic ability.

Jackson offers a robust resume as a starter at Ohio State and has seen a lot of football. He’ll be physically prepared for the rigors of blocking NFL talent, but his technique and discipline will be the defining variable for how much success he finds and how quickly he attains it.

Jackson illustrates a stout punch and good lower-body strength to gear down power rushes in pass protection. His punches are mostly consistent and offer a higher strike rate average on the chest of defenders when he’s short-setting vs. half a man in protection. When he’s charged with setting to close space and getting head up on a defender out of his stance, he can be guilty of overcommitting and leaving his far hand vacant and vulnerable to counters that slant back across his momentum — lateral redirection quickness is not a strength, and he does at times play tall. When he can simply short-set and frame a defender inside out, he’s more consistent in securing the block and then leaning on his grip strength to wall off.

When left unoccupied in the pocket, Jackson does well to use his eyes and identify opportunities for work to attack defenders who may be testing his guard or center. Jackson offers power in these opportunities to knock engaged rushers off their base.

His anticipation for twist games can be more crisp. However, loopers or delayed pressure from the second level can eat him up as he overcommits to the first color to cross his face. When charged with picking up a twist, he can be late to re-work his hands and struggles to slide and frame, leaving the defender free to pinball off his hip and peel up into the pocket.

In the run game, Jackson is most effective with vertical releases off the line of scrimmage. This is included in solo blocks and double teams, where he can collect the most of a defender’s frame flush on his hands and chest before rooting his feet to create forward momentum to create space.

He’s effective in these close-quarters opportunities, although in short-yardage situations, defenders coiled in a four-point stance can successfully shoot and get under his pads to create a pile. Jackson’s anticipation of landmarks in zone concepts can betray him at times; he’s not the most quick-footed player, and moving targets can best him as he tries to dial up and secure the appropriate hat placement. In these instances, Jackson can cede penetration upfield and force his back into cutting back.

As a space blocker, Jackson is most effective for his initial charge out of his stance to climb to the second level but then more impactful in how big he is to force defenders to run over the top or underneath of his real estate as compared to actually mirroring and securing blocks in space.

If you’re looking for blockers who consistently secure over the top flow and wash them out right away, Jackson may not be the right fit.

Ideal Scheme Fit, Role

Jackson projects as a scheme diverse run scheme talent. He’s an NFL guard through and through despite his reps this season at tackle and is at his best when the landmarks and fringes of his blocking radius are not tested to the extremes tackles face.

Allowing him to work in vertical angles can help him draw more consistent hand fits and block framing to generate the expected movement based on his functional strength. Jackson should be considered a viable starter.

Dane Brugler, The Athletic

A three-year starter at Ohio State, Jackson played both left tackle and left guard in former offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s diverse run game (gap/zone, pin-pulls, counters, etc.). Highly recruited out of Texas, he didn’t ascend to meet some of his sky-high expectations at left guard, but he was the unsung hero of the Buckeyes’ 2024 national championship run after kicking out to left tackle to replace an injured Josh Simmons for the final nine games. Following a rough first start against Abdul Carter and Penn State, he played at a high level the rest of the way, including an impeccable playoff run.

Long considered an interior prospect by NFL teams, his left tackle tape was better than what he showed at left guard, forcing NFL teams to reevaluate his best positional fit. Though not an overpowering drive blocker, Jackson moves well out of his stance with the flexibility/length/strength combination to latch and occupy defenders with his hands. His processing gradually improved each season, and he didn’t look like a fish out of water in space. Overall, Jackson’s sustain and recovery hiccups must be addressed by an NFL coaching staff, but his athletic traits and play strength should translate well to the next level. He projects as an NFL starter, and his tape shows a player with true tackle-guard versatility.

College Tape

Vs. Iowa 2024 (LG #74)

Vs. Oregon 2024

Vs. Michigan 2023

Vs. Penn State 2023

Highlights

Bottom Line

Donovan Jackson will likely begin the Vikings’ off-season program as the backup left guard until he learns the playbook and gets acclimated to the Vikings’ system. At that point (likely by training camp) he’ll work with the starters and become the Vikings’ week one starter at left guard.

Jackson will need to continue to refine his technique and get stronger like all rookie offensive linemen, but he brings starter level technique, experience, length, strength, and ability to take over starting left guard duties for the Vikings and be an upgrade over Blake Brandel last season as a rookie.

Poll

What level will Donovan Jackson reach in the NFL?

• 7%

  Perennial All-Pro/Pro Bowler

  (5 votes)

• 53%

  Top Ten Starter at his Position

  (35 votes)

• 33%

  Above Average Starter

  (22 votes)

• 4%

  Average Starter

  (3 votes)

• 0%

  Below Average Starter

  (0 votes)

• 0%

  He Won’t Be a Starter

  (0 votes)

65 votes total

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