NFL Draft source: Austin Jackson has video meeting with New York Jets
Offensive line is a priority for the New York Jets coming into this week’s NFL Draft. Securing a left tackle could well be the move for the team when they pick in the first round.
Should the Jets move back in the draft to accrue more capital on Day 2 and Day 3, then a name that they could look at would be USC’s Austin Jackson. One of the best offensive tackles in this year’s draft, Jackson has had a video meeting in recent weeks with the Jets a source tells SportsIllustrated.com.
Teams are unable to host players for '30 visits' due to league rules regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Video interviews and phone calls have taken the place of thefacility interviews.
Over half the NFL has had a video interview with Jackson, who is popularly mocked and slated into the mid-to-late first round of the draft by most insiders and analysts. The source said that in addition to a video interview with the Jets, Jackson also met with the New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, and the Carolina Panthers.
At the NFL Combine, Jackson impressed running a 5.07 time in the 40 that eclipsed the number run by Louisville’s Mekhi Becton. But he is more than a workout warrior.
At USC, he played as a true freshman and has 39 appearances with 25 starts across three seasons. His last two seasons, he was the starting left tackle for the Trojans.
The Jets come into the draft needing an immediate answer at left tackle. They also have other issues across their two-deep, meaning that a move back in the first round would likely land them multiple picks in the draft. A team might want to move up to No. 11 to grab a quarterback or a wide receiver, allowing the Jets to move back, get multiple picks to help their rebuild and still land a starting offensive lineman such as Jackson.
Should the Jets move back in the first, they could be in a spot to select Jackson.
Jackson moves well and has good strength. While he is still developing and perhaps not as polished as some of the other offensive tackles slated to go in the first round, he has a huge upside.
