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OL Donovan Jackson (All B1G, 1st Team All-American, 1st Team Academic All-American, National Champion)

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RB07OSU said:
Would love to have him or Tyleik, we could use either. Jackson's versatility is definitely a huge draw as he enters the Draft. Another thing is I believe he was pretty much injury free throughout his career (other than a couple games to start the year and I think that was just precautionary)?
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Throw in Jordan Hancock and we're cooking. But, alas, Mike Brown and Duke Tobin.
 
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Skull Session: Ohio State’s 2025 Schedule Could Include a Friday Game, Luke Fickell’s Hardship at Wisconsin “Eats at Him” and Netflix’s “Full Swing” Features Neal Shipley

Ohio State's 2025 schedule could include a Friday game, Luke Fickell's hardship at Wisconsin "eats at him" and Netflix's "Full Swing" will feature Neal Shipley.
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With the NFL Combine around the corner, Bruce Feldman of The Athletic returned to his 2024 Freaks List to predict who could stand out athletically in Indianapolis. Two Buckeyes made the list: Tyleik Williams and Donovan Jackson.

No. 19 - Donovan Jackson​

One of the leaders for the national champions, Jackson shifted from guard to left tackle when Josh Simmons was lost for the year with an injury. The 6-4, 320-pound Jackson is super strong, but his agility is even more impressive. He timed a 1.59 10-yard split last offseason, vertical jumped 30 inches and went 9-7 in the broad jump.
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Donovan Jackson’s Effectiveness at Offensive Tackle May Have Turned Him into a First-Round NFL Draft Pick​

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Jackson drew a tough assignment for his first career start at offensive tackle, as he was tasked with blocking Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter, who could very well be the No. 1 overall pick in April and at worst will be a top-five pick. Though Jackson held up more than formidably against Carter in run blocking in Happy Valley, pass blocking was a tough go, as Carter recorded two sacks. But in the end, Ohio State pulled out a one-possession win, with his offensive line ensuring the Buckeyes ran out the final five minutes of game time.

Not many edge rushers after Carter had much success against Jackson the rest of the way. Jackson was arguably the Buckeyes’ best offensive lineman the rest of the season, as he stonewalled the talented pass rushers he was tasked with blocking in the College Football Playoffs, including multiple early-round NFL draft prospects such as Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. and Oregon’s Jordan Burch.

Though Jackson made the switch for selfless reasons, it didn’t go unnoticed by pro scouts. His effectiveness on the outside has bolstered his draft stock, with many mock drafts forecasting that Jackson will be a late first-round pick in April. He should be off the board no later than the middle of the second round.

“I'm very grateful for the experience,” Jackson said of finishing the season at offensive tackle. “Unfortunately the way I got it (Simmons getting hurt) wasn't the way I wanted it to go. We had fantastic guys that were playing the position (before me), but at Ohio State we always say competitive excellence, so you gotta make the play when your number’s called. So when my number was called to play tackle, I went into it with the best mentality I could. If I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it to the best of my ability, showing off my versatility a little bit, showing that I can play anywhere on the line so I'm grateful for the experience.”

Most NFL teams that met with Jackson throughout the week told him they still envision him playing guard at the next level, but they were impressed with his willingness and effectiveness playing out of position to help his team. Jackson said he met with around 15 teams at the combine, including the Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals.

When asked his position preference between guard and tackle, Jackson simply smiled and responded “I like playing offensive line.” Assuming he slides back to guard for whichever team drafts him, Jackson says he’ll bring refined hand usage and space awareness back to that position, both aspects he improved while playing outside.
 
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