Donovan Jackson
Minnesota VikingsModel Score
How good he is at what he is supposed to be doing, out of 100. Not a projection of what he will do next, and not a read on his contract. Median is about 70, and a 95 is rare. How it is built →
Season Stats · 14 games
Draft & College
He went earlier than consensus.
Comps
STM Take
Rookie tier 8 (#89) at left guard for a 24th overall pick is below the year-one median for 1st-round IOL prospects on Pro Bowl trajectories. The Ohio State 2024 CFP National Championship pedigree plus the unanimous All-American honors gives him the highest pedigree of any rookie IOL in his class. The 2026 question is whether Jackson crosses into tier 5-6 territory or whether the structural rookie tier 8 finish becomes the baseline.
Jackson came out of Ohio State as the Minnesota Vikings' 1st-round pick (24th overall) in 2025 after winning the 2024 CFP National Championship and earning unanimous All-American honors as the Buckeyes' starting left guard. The Vikings installed him as a starter from week one. His first STTM appearance comes in 2025 at tier 8 (#89), reflecting the standard rookie IOL learning curve.
Strengths
- Ohio State 2024 CFP National Championship pedigree plus unanimous All-American honors plus the 24th overall pick establishes the highest technical foundation among rookie IOLs in his class.
- Year-one starter snaps for a Vikings playoff team at age 22 gives him the developmental runway that 1st-round IOLs need.
Concerns
- Rookie tier 8 (#89) is below the year-one median for 1st-round IOL picks on Pro Bowl trajectories.
- Minnesota's broader offensive identity transition (Sam Darnold, multi-year QB rebuild) compresses the structural support around Jackson's development.
What to watch: Whether Jackson crosses into tier 5 (top 40) in 2026, the standard year-two threshold for 1st-round IOL picks on Pro Bowl trajectories.