Guard in the first round?

[SunsetBengal]

(03-01-2025, 05:29 PM)pulses Wrote: We're not drafting Jackson we never even met with the guy.

Don't you mean haven't met with him yet? They'll likely be attending the OSU Pro Day, it's not like it's all that far away.

He seems to me to be the exact sort of OL that the Bengals would be interested in. He's a team player and just wants to play wherever he's needed to help the team.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/how-donovan-jacksons-move-to-left-tackle-for-ohio-state-impacted-his-nfl-draft-stock/ar-AA1A3qUJ?ocid=BingNewsSerp

Quote:INDIANAPOLIS — Donovan Jackson offered a simple reason for accepting a move to left tackle last fall.


“At the end of the day,” Jackson said, “I just like winning more than anything else.”

As injuries piled up at tackle, the Buckeyes needed Jackson to move from left guard and make a midseason switch to patch up their offensive line and preserve their national championship aspirations.

After making 31 starts at left guard since 2022, Jackson took over as the Buckeyes’ starting left tackle in November and remained in the role for the rest of the season.

While Jackson’s quick transition was a critical development as Ohio State went on to win a title two months later, it also might have given him a boost as a professional prospect, raising his stock for this year’s NFL draft.

“It shows my versatility a little bit,” Jackson said. “It shows my athleticism as well. I feel like it certainly helped.”

The switch to tackle is not likely a permanent one. Jackson, who had met with nearly half of the league’s teams during the scouting combine this week, said a majority see him as a guard.

“I mean, I’ve played the position for a majority of my career,” Jackson said, “but a lot of teams had a good impression of me playing different positions.”

Jackson drew a tough assignment in his first start at left tackle. As the Buckeyes visited Penn State for a top-five matchup, he faced Abdul Carter, an explosive pass rusher who is in contention to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Carter twice got around Jackson to sack quarterback Will Howard.

But Jackson never surrendered another sack as the starting left tackle. Over Ohio State’s final eight games, including four in the College Football Playoff, he allowed only seven quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.

The experience at tackle helped elevate his pass protection and should carry over as he appears likely to return to guard.

“There are times at guard when there is still going to be an end on you,” Jackson said. “Guys can come out in a rushmen package, sack package or anything like that.”

He said he appreciated the opportunity provided by the move to tackle.

“I’m very grateful for the experience,” Jackson said. “Unfortunately, the way I got it wasn’t the way I wanted it to go. We had fantastic guys who were playing the position. But when my number was called, I went into it with the best mentality”

Asked if he had a preference between guard and tackle in the NFL, Jackson smiled.

“I just like playing offensive line,” he said. “I like playing anywhere around the line.”