Alaric Jackson is a long-tenured starting tackle for one of the best offensive line factories in the country, the Iowa Hawkeyes. And while Jackson’s development as a player appears to have plateaued at the collegiate level, he does offer the baseline traits to be a rostered NFL offensive lineman. Jackson has bright flashes on vertical releases and down blocks in the running game and teams that can take advantage of his lateral mobility will be able to capitalize on his skill set the most. Jackson’s best appeal from a passing perspective is to arrive in a quick-game attack that does not ask him to set vertically and take deep drops to cover for his quarterback on a regular basis — he’s still too irregular with his set, first punch and anchor to be a protector for quarterbacks who hold the football for a longer than average duration. If he was a less experienced player, we could point to developmental upside and suggest perhaps a higher ceiling to work with. But Jackson, a four-year starter, doesn’t have that luxury.
Click here to read Jackson's full Premium NFL draft profile.
Alaric Jackson is a long-tenured starting tackle for one of the best offensive line factories in the country, the Iowa Hawkeyes. And while Jackson’s development as a player appears to have plateaued at the collegiate level, he does offer the baseline traits to be a rostered NFL offensive lineman. Jackson has bright flashes on vertical releases and down blocks in the running game and teams that can take advantage of his lateral mobility will be able to capitalize on his skill set the most. Jackson’s best appeal from a passing perspective is to arrive in a quick-game attack that does not ask him to set vertically and take deep drops to cover for his quarterback on a regular basis — he’s still too irregular with his set, first punch and anchor to be a protector for quarterbacks who hold the football for a longer than average duration. If he was a less experienced player, we could point to developmental upside and suggest perhaps a higher ceiling to work with. But Jackson, a four-year starter, doesn’t have that luxury.
Ideal Role: Utility backup.
Scheme Fit: Wide/outside ZBS rush attack.
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Click here to read Jackson's full Premium 2021 NFL Draft player profile, which includes trait-by-trait analysis, prospect comparison, and player grades from the TDN Scouting Department.