NFL Combine: Source says New York Jets have met with Ohio State guard Jonah Jackson
The New York Jets need help everywhere along the offensive line. They could get a big boost of talent in what is a deep NFL Draft at both tackle and guard.
A top prospect who could factor into the equation for a team desperately needing to upgrade the offensive line is Ohio State guard Jonah Jackson. One of the top interior offensive linemen in this NFL Draft class, Jackson was a multi-year starter at Rutgers who was a team captain. He then transferred for his final season to Ohio State.
With the Buckeyes, he didn’t skip a beat for one of the best teams in the country. He is now being looked at as a solid Day 2 selection at guard.
Sources say that Jackson had an informal meeting with the Jets already at the NFL Combine. The source said that he also had formal meetings already with Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Rams and Atlanta Falcons.
Interest in Jackson should be strong. He’s a powerfully built guard with good feet and agility in the hips.
In high school, he was recruited to Rutgers by then head coach Kyle Flood. Now an offensive line coach at Alabama, Flood is considered one of the best offensive line coaches in the nation and should have a top 10 pick this year in tackle Jedrick Wills.
Projected at either tackle position, Wills could potentially land with the Jets at No. 11 in the first round, but the consensus is that he will be one of the first two offensive tackles taken in a deep draft class at the position.
As for Jackson, his athleticism and good feet should interest a number of teams, as will good use of his hands. His decision to transfer to Ohio State for 2019 paid dividends for the guard, giving him massive exposure for a top ranked team.
The Jets look likely to return only one offensive lineman who started in Week 1, guard Brian Winters. Jackson is a draft-and-play prospect who could immediately step into a starting guard job with the Jets.
