April 15, 2026
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2026 NFL Scouting Report: Darrell Jackson Jr.

Charlie Campbell04 mins




--2026 NFL Draft Scouting Reports Lander-- Drew Allar, QB, Penn State C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia David Bailey, DE, Texas Tech Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami Caleb Banks, DT, Florida Chris Bell, WR, Louisville Chase Bisontis, OT, Texas A&M Denzel Boston, WR, Washington Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia Xavier Chaplin, OT, Auburn Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington K.C. Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M Omar Cooper, WR, Indiana Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State Gennings Dunker, OT/G, Iowa Spencer Fano, OT, Utah Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia Earnest Greene III, OT, Georgia John Michael Gyllenborg, QB, Wyoming Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee Cashius Howell, DE, Texas A&M Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State Max Iheanschor, OT, Arizona State Gabe Jacas, DE, Illinois Darrell Jackson Jr., DT, Florida State Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama Javon Kilgore, S, South Carolina Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson Malachi Lawrence, DE, Central Florida Makai Lemon, WR, USC Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah Kyle Louis, OLB, Pittsburgh Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami Blake Miller, OT, Clemson Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU L.T. Overton, DT, Alabama T.J. Parker, DE, Clemson Harold Perkins, OLB, LSU Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame Kayden Proctor, OT, Alabama Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State Tony Rojas, LB, Penn State Sam Roush, TE, Stanford Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech Keon Sabb, S, Alabama Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State Jake Slaughter, C, Florida Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon R. Mason Thomas, DE/OLB, Oklahoma Michael Trigg, TE, Baylor Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State Mateo Uiagalelei, DE, Oregon Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson Peter Woods, DT, Clemson Isaiah World, OT, Oregon Zion Young, DE, Missouri

  • Darrell Jackson Jr., 6-5/315
  • Defensive Tackle
  • Florida State

Darrell Jackson Jr. Scouting Report

By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

  • Strong
  • Heavy hands
  • Stout at the point of attack
  • Good pad level
  • Powerful bull rush
  • Long arms
  • Solid nose tackle
  • Flashes a burst to close

Weaknesses:

  • Pass rush limitations
  • Stiffness
  • Anchor struggles when he plays too high

Prospect Summary:

Jackson started out his college career with one season at Maryland before transferring to Miami. In 2022, Jackson had 27 tackles with 4.5 tackles for a loss and three sacks in his one season with the Hurricanes. He was forced to redshirt in 2023 after transferring to Florida State. In 2024, he had 32 tackles with four tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, one pass batted, and one forced fumble. In his final season with the Seminoles, Jackson totaled 45 tackles with three for a loss and one sack.

In the pass rush, Jackson has a quality bull rush with some power off the ball. He has a barrel chest with developed upper body strength. That allows Jackson to rock guards back and knock them off balance. He can rock and blast guards backward with his sheer power. When Jackson gets free on stunts or other games, he flashes some quickness to close, but he has some tightness that hurts his ability to redirect. Jackson will probably never produce big sack numbers in the NFL, but he can contribute to the rush by generating a push to help take away space for the quarterback to step up in the pocket, and he could have some five or six sacks during his career.

In the ground game, Jackson is generally stout to hold his gape at the point of attack. He has the power to hold his ground and defend downhill runs coming straight at him. Jackson gets in trouble when he stands up too high and lets guards get into his chest. With some development, Jackson has the mass to be a solid run defender as a pro.

In the 2026 NFL Draft, Jackson could be a day-two or mid-round pick. Check out my latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft to see where Jackson is projected.

Prospect Comparison:

Roy Lopez. In terms of style of play, Jackson reminds me of Lopez.


--2026 NFL Draft Scouting Reports Lander-- Drew Allar, QB, Penn State C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia David Bailey, DE, Texas Tech Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami Caleb Banks, DT, Florida Chris Bell, WR, Louisville Chase Bisontis, OT, Texas A&M Denzel Boston, WR, Washington Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia Xavier Chaplin, OT, Auburn Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington K.C. Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M Omar Cooper, WR, Indiana Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State Gennings Dunker, OT/G, Iowa Spencer Fano, OT, Utah Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia Earnest Greene III, OT, Georgia John Michael Gyllenborg, QB, Wyoming Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee Cashius Howell, DE, Texas A&M Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State Max Iheanschor, OT, Arizona State Gabe Jacas, DE, Illinois Darrell Jackson Jr., DT, Florida State Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama Javon Kilgore, S, South Carolina Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson Malachi Lawrence, DE, Central Florida Makai Lemon, WR, USC Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah Kyle Louis, OLB, Pittsburgh Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami Blake Miller, OT, Clemson Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU L.T. Overton, DT, Alabama T.J. Parker, DE, Clemson Harold Perkins, OLB, LSU Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame Kayden Proctor, OT, Alabama Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State Tony Rojas, LB, Penn State Sam Roush, TE, Stanford Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech Keon Sabb, S, Alabama Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State Jake Slaughter, C, Florida Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon R. Mason Thomas, DE/OLB, Oklahoma Michael Trigg, TE, Baylor Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State Mateo Uiagalelei, DE, Oregon Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson Peter Woods, DT, Clemson Isaiah World, OT, Oregon Zion Young, DE, Missouri



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