Florida State defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. was a late addition to the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl. The Seminoles standout arrived on Wednesday and immediately participated in the American Team practice. Jackson quickly made an impact by dominating the opposition.
Jackson performed at the East-West Shrine Bowl last week and earned a late invitation to the Senior Bowl based on merit.
Jackson was many NFL scouts' highest-graded prospect at the East-West Shrine Bowl. At Wednesday's American Team practice in Mobile, he immediately proved capable of standing out against Senior Bowl competition. Jackson was a handful for opposing offensive linemen.
Jackson's eye-popping rep occurred against Iowa interior lineman Beau Stephens. The stout nose tackle generated a ton of power via a long-arm extension. Jackson bulldozed Stephens straight to the ground, drawing an audible gasp from onlookers.
FSU DT Darrell Jackson Jr. just arrived at the @seniorbowl and made a POWERFUL impact.
— The Draft Network (@TheDraftNetwork) January 28, 2026
He’s gonna be special💪 pic.twitter.com/LX0IWisU5O
There's no questioning Jackson's size and length. On tape, he's an incredibly physical run defender with heavy hands and underrated burst. Jackson overwhelms blockers with raw physical traits.
Jackson crushed the weigh-in process at the East-West Shrine Bowl. The Havana, Florida native measured in at 6-foot-5 and 328 pounds with 11-inch hands and an 86-inch wingspan. Jackson's hands and wingspan were the largest of anyone at the Shrine Bowl.
Jackson took a winding road to Tallahassee. He began his college football career at Maryland in 2021. Jackson then transferred to Miami and started 12 contests as a sophomore in 2022, registering 27 tackles, 4.5 for loss, and three sacks.
Jackson arrived at Florida State in 2023 but sat out the regular season due to transfer rules after the NCAA denied his eligibility waiver. In 2024, Jackson recorded 32 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, and a career-high 3.5 sacks. Showcasing pass-rushing potential has been a question for Jackson at approximately 330 pounds, after he recorded just one sack as a redshirt senior in 2025.
Jackson sure looked capable of being more than a two-down nose tackle throughout Wednesday's Senior Bowl practice. He generated legitimate power by pushing the pocket as a pass rusher. As a run stopper, he's a proven asset as an immovable object, and that was evident throughout Wednesday's practice session as well.
It's difficult to put into words how hectic Jackson's travel schedule has been. With winter weather conditions affecting most of the country, Jackson successfully navigated the difficulties of traveling to both the East-West Shrine and the Senior Bowl. Not only that, but he's managed to impress scouts at both all-star events.
Jackson belongs among the talents at this year's Senior Bowl. He officially arrived on Wednesday and immediately made his hard-to-miss presence felt. Jackson exited the American Team practice session as the most buzzworthy prospect on scouts' tongues.
