Austin Jackson

[TBro]

I wasn't sure what to think of him, but after watching him at the combine and the fact he is only 20 years old, he has tremendous upside and would be a good replacement for Reiff as our starting left tackle. Not sure he will still be available at 25 if he continues to impress. Teams tend to overdraft Left Tackles so he could go as high as #11 to the Jets. 

[Guest]

I initially had a firm 2nd Round grade on him but I watched some more film, especially against Epenesa from Iowa, and I'm having to reconsider my earlier analysis. Kid has nice feet. Added weight since the Bowl game and still put up really good combine numbers and he's probably got room to add some more weight. An NFL weight room will improve the strength. 

He's only 20 and held up nicely against probably the 2nd best DE in the Class (who looks more like a 3T to me). A little bigger, a bit stronger and clean up some technique issues and he's got serious upside. Especially with coaches like Dennison and Kubiak. 

I don't see Jackson going before 20 as there's 4 to 5 guys with higher ratings, but 25, especially if there's no strong 3T or CB options, would be OK with me.

[Guest]

What is not discussed enough about Jackson is the fact that he donated bone marrow to his younger sister last July ...

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/draft/2020/02/26/austin-jackson-usc-nfl-draft-bone-marrow-donate-sister/4883739002/

Jackson was a perfect match on all 12 criteria to be her donor for a bone marrow transplant. But the procedure, which involved removal from three spots in his lower back, would rob him of his strength and possibly affect the junior’s stock for the 2020 NFL Draft.
“Doctors reassured me that it wouldn’t,” Jackson said of his draft status. “You never know what could happen. It was a small thought, but to get through that process that’s not what you want your focus to be. I tried my best to stay away from that.”
He also knew this was what he called “kind of a test run” for the physicians involved.
“The doctors I worked with never had a bone marrow transplant patient return to football within a month after doing the procedure,” he said.

Yet Jackson willingly went through it last July. On Aug. 3, he returned to practice with the Trojans.
But as he prepares for his next step in football, he carries with him the miracle that bonds him and Autumn.
“Definitely. I feel like everybody would have done it for their little sister, their sibling,” Jackson said.
The day Jackson found out he was a 100 percent match for the transplant brought a mix of emotions.
“I was happy, I was excited. Most importantly I just thanked God. That’s a miracle and I’m glad I could do this for my family,” he said.
In preparation, Jackson had to go home to Phoenix and train on his own because he couldn’t risk getting sick. He worked out at a small gym at a community college, where he saw at most two or three people, and at his old high school, North Canyon, also virtually alone.
When he returned to USC, he said it took him most of the season to get back to full strength. Jackson, 6-foot-4 7/8 and 322 pounds, still started all 13 games (25 over the past two years) and was chosen first team All-Pac 12.
“I couldn’t squat with any weight on my back until about the fourth game of the season,” he said.
The choice Jackson made said much about his character. It also provided a lesson as he reaches the game’s highest level.
“Adversity’s huge,” he said. “You’ve got to recover from it, rebound from anything that happens. It’s the same thing that happens in a game. If something happens that’s not in the game plan, you just have to respond.”
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When you think about the fact that he was unable to train (lift) for a long period and still played every game and make first team All-Pac 12 it is really impressive.
And, as mentioned above, he is only 20.
He'll probably go before the Vikings pick.

[Guest]

Of all the top tackles, Jackson concerns me the most. I don't like his body language and he gets beat too much. Actually reminds me a little bit of Matt Kalil in that regard. 

[Guest]

@MaroonBells said:
Of all the top tackles, Jackson concerns me the most. I don't like his body language and he gets beat too much. Actually reminds me a little bit of Matt Kalil in that regard. 

Yeah, I haven't watch him at all but most of the reports you can find from media guys who are paid to evaluate this stuff say his footwork and technique need quite a bit of work.  He'll probably be drafted earlier than he should be because of his athletic traits.  Jackson sounds like this draft's version of T.J. Clemmings...  remember he was a guy who showed really well at the combine (but had inconsistent game tape) and the media projected him as a late first/second round pick.  We all thought we had a steal when we took him in the 4th round...

[Guest]

I hear USC and red flags go up for me.   I know that there have been some damn fine players come from the U of spoiled children,  but it seems like some of the biggest busts come from there as well.

[Guest]

His footwork only needs correction from the standpoint that he over-sets: kicks his left foot out too far back in pass sets. The body language thing when Epenesa beat him and hit the QBs arm, breaking it IIRC, was troubling. But he's 20 for Pete's sake!

Watch the Bowl Game. He more than held his own against the 2nd best DE in the Class. His technique problems are eminently fixable. And buying myth that certain position types from certain schools should be avoided is only relevant if you can show me it's the exact same position and overall coaching staff putting one failed (insert position type here) after another. USC has been anything but stable from a coaching perspective, which hurts these kids from a development standpoint but doesn't impact their overall ceiling. 

As for the notion that he's gone by 25...whatever. He will be the 6th Tackle off the Board. Zero Point Zero chance that happens before 25. Too many QBs and Blue Chip prospects for that to happen. 

[Guest]

@FSUVike said:
His footwork only needs correction from the standpoint that he over-sets: kicks his left foot out too far back in pass sets. The body language thing when Epenesa beat him and hit the QBs arm, breaking it IIRC, was troubling. But he's 20 for Pete's sake!

Watch the Bowl Game. He more than held his own against the 2nd best DE in the Class. His technique problems are eminently fixable. And buying myth that certain position types from certain schools should be avoided is only relevant if you can show me it's the exact same position and overall coaching staff putting one failed (insert position type here) after another. USC has been anything but stable from a coaching perspective, which hurts these kids from a development standpoint but doesn't impact their overall ceiling. 

As for the notion that he's gone by 25...whatever. He will be the 6th Tackle off the Board. Zero Point Zero chance that happens before 25. Too many QBs and Blue Chip prospects for that to happen. 

I always come back to this: half of these guys are going to bust. If there are red flags of any kind, I go to the next guy. In the 2nd round I get a lot more interested. 

[Guest]

When you get to 25, I think the OT's that will be left in this draft have a higher boom/bust ratio compared to other positions. I would be happy with Jackson or Jones, but I think Blacklock, Marlon Davidson, and Madubuike would all have a big impact at the 3T position we desperately need to fill. I think there are higher quality, high impact D Lineman where we will pick vs the OT's that will be available. We could come back in the 2nd and hopefully get someone like Cleveland, Niang,  Prince Tega Wanogho, Peart, etc. plus there would be some solid guard choices with our 58th pick if you decide to leave Reiff where he is. What I don't want to see is another first round corner which I'm seeing a lot of draft experts predicting for us. 

[Guest]

@TBro said:
When you get to 25, I think the OT's that will be left in this draft have a higher boom/bust ratio compared to other positions. I would be happy with Jackson or Jones, but I think Blacklock, Marlon Davidson, and Madubuike would all have a big impact at the 3T position we desperately need to fill. I think there are higher quality, high impact D Lineman where we will pick vs the OT's that will be available. We could come back in the 2nd and hopefully get someone like Cleveland, Niang,  Prince Tega Wanogho, Peart, etc. plus there would be some solid guard choices with our 58th pick if you decide to leave Reiff where he is. What I don't want to see is another first round corner which I'm seeing a lot of draft experts predicting for us. 

Honestly, other than WR or someone unexpectedly falling anyone Minnesota picks at 25 will have some bust factor. Davidson never played 3T. Madubuike has some question marks regarding his consistency as a pass rusher. Heck, Blacklock had a gazillion parking tickets at TCU! That's a joke, the concern with Blacklock is how raw he is after only playing 2 years in college.

Corner is also deep, so a good falling to 25 while teams feast on OTs and WRs is a distinct possibility. Henderson or Fulton at 25 is kind of a no-brainer to me. Neither have as many question marks as the 3Ts. If Harris leaves and McKinney is still available that becomes hard to pass up.

Whatever happens, fans should be prepared for the pick not being 'sexy' as it is a very real possibility that the Board falls in a way that CB is by far the best value. Of course, a trade down is also a legit option and maybe a smart one with so many holes to fill.