New York Giants Draft Prospect Profile: IDL Darrell Jackson, Jr, Florida State

Darrell Jackson, Jr., DL

Height: 6’5 ½”
Weight: 315 lbs
Class: RS-Senior
School: Florida State
Hands: 11”
Arm length: 34 ¾”
STATS

A former three star recruit from Gadsden County High School in Havana, Florida, where he was the 87th player from his state and the 82nd defensive linemen during the 2021 recruiting cycle.

Jackson Jr. played his first year of college football at Maryland, where he only saw 225 snaps. He then transferred to Miami for one season where he played 414 defensive snaps, with 16 pressures and 18 STOPS.

Jackson Jr. then entered the transfer portal, again. He was a four-star recruit, the seventh defensive lineman in the portal, and the 69th player in the 2023 transfer portal. He took his talents to Florida State, where he played the remaining three years of his eligibility.

Jackson Jr. played a total of 1,691 snaps in college with 64 pressures and 79 STOPs. 2024 was his most productive season; he earned 30 pressures and 23 STOPs, with nine missed tackles (21.4% missed tackle rate).

He then had 14 pressure and 24 STOPs in 2025, and only missed four tackles (7.7% missed tackle rate).

Nov 2, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr (6) pursues North Carolina Tarheels running back Davion Gause (21) in the second quarter at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. | Robert Myers-Imagn Images

Strengths

Elite height/length – a hulking presence inside
A 7’2 wingspan!
Elite hand size w/ good grip strength
VIOLENT hand usage and punches
Solid vision and awareness inside
Above-average combination of play strength and stack & shed
Strong stack & shed skills when hands are quick
Constricts interior rushing lanes with his presence
Solid anchor at the POA
Good power rush move w/ solid swim
Solid bull-rush
Drives through the dirt to generate force – size can be overwhelming
High competitor who makes plays all over the field – hustle

Weaknesses

Only an average athlete for his size
Is not twitchy
Stiffness in his lower-half is noticeable
Pad level gets too high
Base is narrow for a 0/1-T
Hands could be quicker to shed (when hands aren’t early)
Anchor is solid, but can be displaced vs. double-teams
Doesn’t have much of a pass rushing plan

Summary

Darrell Jackson Jr. is a long (99th percentile wingspan) interior defensive lineman with above-average run constricting ability. He combines his size with excellent knock-back power and massive 97th percentile hands.

Jackson does well to use his strength to close interior gaps, but he is inconsistent with shedding the blocks.

A lower pad level would greatly benefit him against the run; he’s a quality run defender, who could be very good if he kept his chest down more.

He is not refined as a pass rusher but he can generate quality force into his targets; still, there’s not much nimbleness or finesse to his pass rush game.

Overall, Jackson is an above-average run defender who occupies space and makes a difference with his knockback and incredible length, but he leaves some to be desired as a pass-rusher, and his less than ideal quickness is a hindrance.

Still, he will make a quality rotational player to start with an ability to develop into a starter.

GRADE: 6.11

Nick Falato's Draft Grade Chart | Nick Falato

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news and send your mailbag questions to us.