Finding Broncos: Drake Jackson | Edge | USC
Measurements
- Height: 6-foot-3
- Weight: 254 pounds
- Arms: 34 inches
- Hands: 10-1/8 inches
Combine Results
- Vertical Jump: 36.5 inches
- Broad Jump: 127 inches
Stats
Pros
- Just turned 21 years old, so still growing and maturing.
- Twitched up athletically.
- Does well altering his speed through his rush.
- Was better playing with more weight before being asked to drop weight and play a different role.
- Lateral agility is solid.
- Plenty of range and a good burst to close from behind.
- Surprisingly bendy even when heavier.
- Has shown the ability to drop into coverage at his different play weights.
- Has good anticipation of the quarterbacks' pocket movements.
- Doesn't give up on a play.
- Has great length that needs to be weaponized.
- Has a good change of direction ability.
- Long strider with his movement.
- Has some contortionist to him with his pass rush.
- He does well keeping his pad level low and playing with good bend.
- Excellent reactive and recovery athleticism.
- Does alright when converting speed to power.
- Does well accelerating through blocks to get blockers on their heels.
Cons
- Makes a lot of movement without gaining ground.
- Consistent arm tackler.
- Doesn't stay tough and hold his own at the point of attack.
- Struggles handling power.
- Needs to develop counters as he currently has none.
- His initial punch doesn't do much.
- Doesn't play with a good strong base.
- He dropped weight for 2021 and took a big step back with his play.
- Struggles to disengage from blocks.
- Has length but doesn't use it consistently.
- Relied heavily on athleticism and speed than actual pass rush technique or moves.
- Doesn't play with discipline.
- Lack of control led to multiple missed tackles.
- Doesn't have the quickest of get-offs from the snap.
- Hand usage is raw, clunky, and disjointed.
- He can struggle to get blockers off his chest.
Overview
The case with Jackson is balancing out the length, athleticism, and age with the level of player he was on tape. There is so much to work with, and it was made clear with his 2021 tape that he needs to play at a heavier weight. When he played heavier in 2020, his tape was much better, though still the same issues, just not as consistent.
While Jackson could contribute right away, he may not be ready for a starting role for a couple of years. There are a lot of technical issues with Jackson that need to be cleaned up, plus time to finish filling out his frame with some work in the weight room. With the time it could take to get Jackson ready, the question is how much teams will value his traits against the time it could take along with the risk.
Fit with Broncos
One piece that the Denver Broncos are missing on their defensive front is an edge that can drop and play out of a three-point stance or out of a two-point stance. Even when he plays at a heavier weight, Jackson has that versatility, and he showed up to USC's Pro Day at 273 pounds and had a good workout.
Denver could afford to bet on Jackson's upside because they have Bradley Chubb and Randy Gregory to start for the 2022 season. They would either need to hope they can get him ready to start in a year or be willing to find another edge and keep Jackson as the third piece of the edge room.
In his first draft, George Paton looked at athletically gifted players, and Jackson would qualify. With Ejiro Evero's defensive scheme, there are no concerns about getting Jackson to fit. The question for Paton and the Broncos is, where would they value Jackson? If the 2021 NFL Draft offers any insight, the value on raw but athletically gifted players is in the third round, where they took Baron Browning and Quinn Meinerz.
Grade: Early Round 3
Where he Goes: Round 3
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