Bright Spot: Evaluating Jonah Jackson's NFL Debut

Former NFL scout Daniel Kelly evaluates Jonah Jackson's NFL debut

The offensive line is a game within a game, and hardly anyone ever writes a whole article about a guard. 

I am going to because on offense, the quarterback, the running backs, the receivers and tight ends all get the press. But, make no mistake, as they say, the game is won, or lost, in the trenches. 

It is not a glamorous position, and certainly taking a guard in the third round is not a sexy pick. 

But, boy, oh, boy, it looks like Lions general manager Bob Quinn has found the team's starting right guard for the next 10 years in Jonah Jackson. 

For this article, I did something I used to do when grading offensive and defensive linemen. 

I graded each individual snap with a "+" or a "-," depending on if it was a positive or a negative outcome for him specifically on the play. 

In other words, did he get the job done or not on each given play. 

I love this style of grading. It is more detail-oriented, and helps the grading process be much more objective. 

The percentages support the written evaluation. 

What I do is total up the number of pass plays, and then add up how many pluses I have charted. I do the same thing for the running plays.

Then, I divide the number of positives by the total number of pass and run plays in order to come up with a number and percentage of just how effective the player really was. 

Against Chicago in Week 1

36/45 pass plays graded with a plus sign = 80 percent effective in pass pro

20/26 run plays graded with a plus sign = 77 percent effective as a run blocker

© Kirthmon F. Dozier via Imagn Content Services, LLC

#73 RG Jonah Jackson - 6-foot-4, 312 pounds 

Grade: B (Good player, but not elite; however, good enough to win with)

Scouting Report 

Big, thick and stout body with superior upper-body and playing strength, with good athletic ability.

In pass pro, he is quick to set up, and he looks very alert and eager to engage. Wide presence. Shows very quick hands at the point of attack. Excellent hand quickness. Tough to go through him. Above-average anchor when challenged and bull-rushed. Able to eventually drop anchor, sit down and control after giving up some ground initially. Excellent in helping out other offensive linemen and on combo blocks with the center. Looks heady. Excellent effort at all times. Always looking for something to do or somewhere to help out. Has a real tendency to not slide his feet laterally when defensive linemen shoot the gap to his outside shoulder. Tends to get turned instead, and defensive linemen take him for a ride into the pocket, where most of the time he is able to battle. And while it is not always pretty, he gets the job done often. Rarely waist bends. 

Showed he can struggle most against quick and fast gap shoots to his outside shoulder. And if the defensive lineman can out-quick him, he can give up leverage in the pocket, and give up pressure as a result. Struggled to pick up "X" stunts fast enough. This is the way to beat him: Shoot the gap to his outside shoulder with someone faster and quicker than he is. And I would suggest testing him often with various stunts and blitzes. Looked somewhat challenged by blitzes. Looked a little hesitant. 

In run-blocking, excels at just simply out-muscling his matchup at the point of attack. Showcases brute playing strength head up. Flashes real aggressiveness and drives. Has some real nastiness in him. Often able to sustain at the point of attack long enough. Tends to stay up off the ground, Has the athletic ability to pull, but it is hit or miss and he often struggled to hit targets dead on out in space. But, he can get out there. Does have hip tightness that shows up in space when quickly trying to adjust. Did have a false start in this game, and gave up a big sack in the fourth quarter. But overall, had a very solid NFL debut.

There was no question that Jackson was part of the solution against Chicago and not part of the problem. 

He intensely battled, and brought some real attitude to the position. And that is what is needed. 

I love guards with attitude and passion. With this guy's raw physical strength and power, combined with his athletic ability, he is going to be good enough to win with for some time, barring injury. 

He is a real nice addition to plug in next to center Frank Ragnow, who I also liked and gave a "B" grade to last year (as in good enough to win with). 

This tandem should be in place for quite some time. This tandem is a cornerpiece of the championship puzzle. 

Last Sunday, Jackson was a major contributor, in both giving quarterback Matthew Stafford time to riffle the ball downfield and opening holes for the running backs. He more than did his part. 

He was handling some big boys on the Bears, too, including Akiem Hicks, who is 6-foot-4 and 347 pounds. 

I'm telling you, I was impressed with Jackson's raw, brute weight-room and playing strength. That is his big strength -- no pun intended. 

He showed a lot of power coming from his legs and back, too. I am sure he puts on a pretty awesome display in the weight room. 

I loved when he had a pancake block, and another time, he drove his guy back, hard into the end zone. 

And even on the All-22 coaches film, you could see, even without sound, that he was visibly fired up when D'Andre Swift galloped in for that touchdown. 

Jackson showed some real intensity. That is the kind of fire that will win in Detroit. 

Get used to the name Jonah Jackson, because he is going to be around for a while. 

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