2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Texas A&M DL McKinnley Jackson

From now until the 2023 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Texas A&M DL McKinnley Jackson.

#3 MCKINNLEY JACKSON, DL, TEXAS A&M – (SENIOR) 6015, 331 POUNDS

Senior Bowl Invite

MEASUREMENTS

THE GOOD

— Strong, stout frame for the position
— Played both at the nose and at 3-tech in college
— Commanded double teams at a high rate against the run
— Plays with good leverage and anchor to clog up running lanes
— Does a good job working through blocks to the ball
— Can shoot gaps with quickness off the snap
— Has good arm length and wingspan relative to his size
— Explosive, twitchy athlete for his size and stature
— Pursues the ball with great effort
— Displays a refined pass rush arsenal, including the long arm, push/pull, and club/rip
— Two-time captain and 2022 Team Defensive MVP

THE BAD

— Lacks ideal height for the position
— Ends up on the turf more than you’d like to see on tape
— Can have a tough time disengaging from blocks when linemen latch onto his chest
— Was more disruptive than productive as a pass rusher
— Lacks a go-to counter move as a pass rusher
— Will get washed from time to time in the running game
— Maybe more scheme-specific due to his measurables

BIO

— Senior prospect from Lucedale, MS
— Age 22
— Four-star recruit by Rivals, Army All-American Game invite
— No. 1 player out of the state of Mississippi in the 2020 recruiting class
— Seafood fanatic with his favorite food being crawfish
— Played in 10 games in 2020 and made two starts, recorded 13 total tackles (three solo), 1.5 sacks, and two pass deflections
— Played in 10 games in 2021 and made four starts, recorded 14 total tackles (seven solo) and one sack
— Played in eight games with seven starts in 2022 and recorded 37 total tackles (23 solo), seven tackles for loss, two sacks, a fumble recovery, and a blocked PAT
— Started all 12 games in 2023 and recorded 27 total tackles (10 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery
— Two-time team captain (2022-23) , 2020 SEC All-Freshman Team

TAPE BREAKDOWN

McKinnley Jackson grew up in the small town of Lucedale, MS and never could have dreamed that he would have had the opportunity to put Lucedale on the map as a young kid, destined for NFL stardom. However, as he continued to grow and develop, he learned quickly that he had a knack for the game of football, becoming one of the top defensive line recruits in the nation. He committed to Texas A&M and played in a stadium that could hold the total population of his home town 50 times over at College Station, becoming two-time captain as one of the leaders of the Aggie defense.

When you pop in the tape on Jackson, you see a stout, thickly built defender who uses his short frame to his advantage when it comes to playing with leverage. He plays low to the ground and can shoot gaps effectively like you see in the clip below against Florida, shooting the B-gap between the LG and LT into the backfield, fighting through the left tackle to bottle up the running back for a tackle for loss.

Jackson is extremely twitchy getting off the ball on the snap for weighing 326 pounds, displaying great athleticism for his size. He also knows how to use his hands as well like you see in the clp below against Arkansas, hitting the club/swim combo on the blocker to clear the block attempt into the backfield and make the tackle behind the line on the short down-and-distance before the runner could get back to the line to gain.

While his production was fairly light as a pass rusher coming out of Texas A&M, Jackson showcased the ability to disrupt the pocket and put pressure on the quarterback, even if he didn’t get home. He has the power and strength, as mentioned earlier, to knock back opposing offensive linemen like on this clip against LSU, bull rushing the left guard with the long arm in the blocker’s chest after the club with the outside arm fails, pushing the blocker into the lap of the quarterback which forces QB Jayden Daniels to flee the pocket with Jackson providing good pursuit to the end of the rep.

Jackson’s effort in pursuit is no joke, having a motor that runs hot as he chases the ball carrier with tenacity to the whistle. You see that in the play above as well as this play below, where Jackson pulls the center back on the snap to get into the backfield, working through the block of the left guard as he pursues the runner who gets brought down by the rest of the defenders closing in pursuit by the edge.

That effort in pursuit also shows up as a pass rusher, relentlessly chasing the quarterback, even when his first move fails. Watch the clip below against Ole Miss from 2022, where Jackson spins off the block by the center that oversets him, getting into the backfield as he wraps up the quarterback attempting to escape and brings him down to the ground for the sack.

Jackson can plug gaps as well, thanks to his strength and frame, whether it be as a nose tackle or 3-technique. Watch him work across the blocker’s face in this clip below to get in on the tackle attempt against the Tigers, ripping through with his right arm as he works down the line of scrimmage to get in on the play.

Still, despite having long arm relative to his height, Jackson can get held up on blocks from time-to-time as he can struggle incorporating a counter move. Watch how he gets stuck on the blocker to start the rep, working across the blocker’s face, but manages to counter back once Daniels scrambles from the pocket. However, Daniels squeaks out of the tackle attempt by Jackson before being brought down by a host of Aggies.

CONCLUSION

McKinnley Jackson is a twitched-up defensive tackle who lacks great height but makes up for it with his pure strength and leverage. He can shoot gaps as well as sit in gaps and clog running lanes on inside runs. However, he does struggle with balance issues as he ends up on the ground a lot and can get held up on blocks as well, occasionally playing high where he cedes ground against the run game while being neutralized as a pass rusher when the first move fails. He must continue to work to be a more consistent disruptor while using his size and leverage to his advantage to better defend gaps.

A good pro comparison for Jackson would be Alim McNeill from the Lions, who was also a twitched-up, stocky defensive lineman coming out of NC State, being drafted in the third round that had similar issues coming out, but also had the disruptive presence as a pass rusher with multiple tools in his tool bag to defeat blocks. I expect Jackson to go in a similar place in the draft and start out as a rotational player while working to earn a starting job.

The Steelers had a formal interview with Jackson at the Combine, making their interest real in a guy that best projects as a nose tackle in their system. He would likely cost a Day Two pick, but Jackson could be that stocky, explosive player in the middle of their defense, allowing Keeanu Benton to play more of a base defensive end role in Pittsburgh’s defense.

Projection: Day 2
Depot Draft Grade: 7.8- Potential Starter/Quality Backup (3rd Round)
Games Watched: vs LSU (2023) vs Arkansas (2023) vs Ole Miss (2022)