McKinnley Jackson 2024 NFL Draft Profile
Our dive into the trenches continues here, as next up on the list of 2024 NFL Draft profiles is Texas A&M’s McKinnley Jackson. Jackson is an absolute unit of a man who has game-wrecking tendencies, but does the motor run hot enough to be a sleeper in a solid Defensive Tackle class? We are going to dive into all that and more here. Let’s talk about it.
We need to be transparent with the kind of player Jackson is. He is without a doubt a zero or one technique, meaning he is always inside, mostly playing over center. So his 91 tackles over four years (64 over the last two) shouldn’t be a cause for alarm. Jackson did manage three sacks last season and finished his Aggies career with 7.5, which is a nice number for someone playing in his technique.
McKinnley Jackson had two great days of Senior Bowl practices, which solidified my fandom of his. A mountain of a man (6’1 1/2, 326) should not have as good of feet as he does. His pure play speed may not wow you, but he can move laterally to close a hole quickly. Jackson can eat two blockers and still find a way to be a part of the play. Sits his ass well and moves. Two-time captain of the defense so he has the leadership you want. Violent hand fighting.
The hips do open up, but a lot of his tape they feel tight. He could make such a bigger impact moving laterally if he got those hips going. For someone who plays in the one gap, I would like to see him make a bigger impact at or behind the line of scrimmage. You have to understand that by drafting McKinnley Jackson you aren’t getting a big sack guy, he is going to fill the hole and help you stuff the run. Expecting anything more might set you up for disappointment.
A two-time SEC captain can find a home on my team any day. I think Jackson has some upside in the right scheme, but you have to be precise in drafting him and use him right. His lack of versatility makes him an interesting eval, but I eventually landed on an early third-round grade. I don’t think I could grab him in the sixties and that’s alright, but with his size, he will play a nice part in my run-down defenses.
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