SI All-American Candidate Landon Jackson Highlights and Evaluation
Prospect: DE Landon Jackson
Projected Position: Defensive End
Status: SI All-American candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-5, 230 pounds
School: Texarkana (Texas) Pleasant Grove
Committed to: LSU
Frame: Impressive length with big, wide shoulders. Waist and midsection are somewhat tight and has room to grow in his lower half.
Athleticism: Mobile edge defender with solid ability to bend on edges. He can flatten at corners. Does a good job of staying even at the top of the pocket during rush. Takes proper angles with good build-up speed when pursuing run from the backside. Strong enough to set edges at the point versus tight ends in the run game. Finishes well with good pop and wrap on ball carriers.
Instincts: High motor, effort, and intensity. Fair to attack half a man as a pass-rusher from the edges. Quick to read double-teams with enough torso rotation to skinny through. Alert to get hands up to impact throwing lanes when he can’t get home.
Polish: Lined up as LDE, RDE, DT, and LB in games viewed. Works in a 2-point and 4-point stance when on the ball. Also occasionally used as a loop player on E-T twist games. Has a slab/club-and rip move and a speed-to-power move in his current pass-rush toolbox. Will also use a rip as his counter. Plays with high pad level and allows blockers under his pads at the point. Needs to improve pass-rush plan.
Bottom Line: With his imposing size, length, and solid mobility, Jackson is a prospect with some scheme versatility. He has experience playing 3, 4i, 5, and 7-technique, as well as linebacker. Though he must develop a varied pass-rush plan, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Jackson settle as a 5/7-technique DE in a 4-man front with some gap exchange principles in college.