2022 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Edge Drake Jackson, USC

If the Giants are looking for some pass rushing help, they might be able to find a late-draft value in USC edge rusher Drake Jackson.

Drake Jackson, EDGE

Height: 6’3
Weight: 254 lbs.
Class: Junior
School: USC
Arm length: 34”
Hand size: 10⅛”

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A former four-star recruit out of Corona, California, where he attended Centennial High School, Jackson was the third-ranked strong side defensive end in the 2019 recruiting cycle and the tenth-ranked California prospect overall. 

He was the 56th ranked prospect that year. Jackson played at several different weights while at USC; he was reportedly up to 265-pounds during his sophomore year, but played around 250 in his final season.

Notables

Jackson played most of his collegiate snaps at OLB, and this figures to be his best area in the NFL for an ODD front, 3-4 defense. Jackson had a solid junior year of 37 tackles, five sacks, 26 pressures, eight tackles for a loss, an interception, a pass defended, and a forced fumble. He broke onto the USC scene with a productive 46 tackle, 11.5 for a loss, 5.5 sacks, 26 pressure, three pass defended season as a freshman.

Jackson changed his body and weight after his freshman year. He finishes his time at USC with 103 total tackles, 25 for a loss, 12.5 sacks, 69 pressures, two interceptions, four passes defended, and two forced fumbles. He earned All-Pac 12 second team honors.

Strengths

• Very athletic EDGE rusher who is twitchy
• Excellent suddenness and explosive nature off the snap
• Does well to explode low off the line with excellent change of direction/footwork when setting pass rushes up
• Very quick first three steps - prematurely gets tackles to open their hips
• Has the speed and explosiveness to cross OT face and gain access to the B-gap
• Moves laterally very well
• Hands and feet work together well - in a quick efficient manner
• Reduces surface area of chest by dipping inside shoulder, bending at the waist, and keeping his hands active to swat away OT attempts to gain control
• Good balance when rushing up the arc - low leverage
• Attacks the half-man well, quickly gains access to outside shoulder
• Has active hands
• One of the more flexible pass rushers in the draft
• Great ability to dip at his waist and put stress on his ankle joints through contact
• The ability to corner and swivel hips into pocket is very impressive
• Short area burst into the pocket is great
• Fluid enough to drop into space and cover - offers versatility, more than just a pass rusher in this area
• Leverage as a run defender is low
• Solid play recognition ability
• Solid overall competitor who makes tackles from the backside and flies around in passing situations
• Solid overall tackler with a wide tackle radius
• Better as a pursuit defender in space than a run defender at the point of attack

View all of Nick Falato's draft prospect profiles right here / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Can Improve

• Frame is thin and wiry
• Needs better play strength at the POA
• Technique can improve against the run - hands, and extension
• Lower body strength is adequate at best
• Hands don’t have pop
• Could develop a more efficient pass counter game
• Lost some plays as a run defender against tight ends
• Balance through contact when slanting inside wasn’t a strength
• Doesn’t have speed to power conversion
• A finesse - evade - type of pass rusher, doesn’t have a bull-rush threat
• The one-dimensional nature of his rushes - although it’s good - will be predictable at the next level

Summary

Overall, Drake Jackson has the ability to win with speed around the edge, with excellent bend throughout his body. This ability will be widely valued, but his inability to convert speed to power and be a bit one-dimensional as just a speed rusher works against him. 

He needs to get stronger at the point of attack. The changing of weights zapped his pop/strength, so it could be realistic that he could regain more pop. I also appreciate his overall movement skills in space. 

Questions about Jackson on early rush downs will be fair as he moves forward in the NFL -- especially early on -- but his ability to corner and stress tackle’s pass sets are among some of the top in this class.

GRADE: 6.25 

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