The edge rusher position is one of the strengths of the 2025 NFL draft class, with nine edge rushers currently projected to go in the top 50, according to the consensus big board.
Arkansas’s Landon Jackson is the last of those, ranked 50th, and potentially in play for the Green Bay Packers as early as the first round.
Jackson has the excellent size the Packers are looking for in their edge rushers at 6-6, 264 lbs, with 33 ¾” arms. He is an imposing figure out on the field.
He tested brilliantly at the NFL scouting combine, running the 40 in 4.68 seconds and jumping over 40” in the vert. Jackson completed every drill and posted a 9.78 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) overall.
The 22-year-old has seven sacks in each of his last two seasons with the Razorbacks, and 18 in total over his three college seasons. He has also been an asset in the run game, with 65 run stops over the last two years and an 88.8 PFF grade against the run in 2024.
Jackson made plenty of plays at Arkansas, and perhaps his most distinct trait is that when he does make plays, they are emphatic and explosive. When he sacks the quarterback or tackles a ball-carrier, he absolutely wallops them.
He is a long, powerful man who is an effective bull rusher, but also has some skill to win hand fights with tackles at the corner, then possessing enough bend to flatten to the quarterback. Jackson’s long frame also helps him reach for tackles against the run.
While Jackson is primarily trying to go around or through an opposing tackle, he also shows some quickness to be able to cross their face and close to the football.
In the run game, Jackson takes his responsibility of holding the edge seriously and has the size and strength required. He is able to shed blocks to make tackles and has the mobility to chase down the ball out in space. His power also allows him to crash down and disrupt the interior.
There are natural issues that come with Jackson’s build though. He looks lanky and stiff at times, and playing with leverage can be difficult for him.
He is an aggressive, full steam ahead player and this can be used against him at times, as opponents wash him out of the play or just let his momentum take himself out. Jackson plays over his toes and ends up on the ground too often.
When Jackson is on, he can take over a game, but there are also times, such as the Oklahoma State game from this past season, where he has very little impact from start to finish. This is not for a lack of effort, but he just could not do anything to cause the tackle problems.
Jackson’s sack totals from the past two years are strong, but his pressure numbers are not overly impressive, with just 57 since 2023.
This sums up Jackson’s game as a pass rusher pretty well; he is able to finish and make splash plays, but is not enough of a presence on a snap to snap basis as a pass rusher. His career high PFF pass rush grade is 72.2, which is from 2024.
Those low pressure numbers are likely to be an issue for the Packers if they are considering taking Jackson.
His yearly average of 25.33 pressures as a college starter would represent by far the lowest number Brian Gutekunst has drafted in an edge rusher in any round, with Kingsley Enagbare (31) currently the low mark.
Jackson’s athletic testing may be excellent, but it does not quite match the tape. His tall, stiff build is something he will have to overcome to be a productive NFL player. He could be an option for Green Bay in round two, but taking him in the first would feel a bit rich.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers first-round prospects: Arkansas’s Landon Jackson
The edge rusher position is one of the strengths of the 2025 NFL draft class, with nine edge rushers currently projected to go in the top 50, according to the consensus big board.
Arkansas’s Landon Jackson is the last of those, ranked 50th, and potentially in play for the Green Bay Packers as early as the first round.
Jackson has the excellent size the Packers are looking for in their edge rushers at 6-6, 264 lbs, with 33 ¾” arms. He is an imposing figure out on the field.
He tested brilliantly at the NFL scouting combine, running the 40 in 4.68 seconds and jumping over 40” in the vert. Jackson completed every drill and posted a 9.78 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) overall.
The 22-year-old has seven sacks in each of his last two seasons with the Razorbacks, and 18 in total over his three college seasons. He has also been an asset in the run game, with 65 run stops over the last two years and an 88.8 PFF grade against the run in 2024.
Jackson made plenty of plays at Arkansas, and perhaps his most distinct trait is that when he does make plays, they are emphatic and explosive. When he sacks the quarterback or tackles a ball-carrier, he absolutely wallops them.
He is a long, powerful man who is an effective bull rusher, but also has some skill to win hand fights with tackles at the corner, then possessing enough bend to flatten to the quarterback. Jackson’s long frame also helps him reach for tackles against the run.
While Jackson is primarily trying to go around or through an opposing tackle, he also shows some quickness to be able to cross their face and close to the football.
In the run game, Jackson takes his responsibility of holding the edge seriously and has the size and strength required. He is able to shed blocks to make tackles and has the mobility to chase down the ball out in space. His power also allows him to crash down and disrupt the interior.
There are natural issues that come with Jackson’s build though. He looks lanky and stiff at times, and playing with leverage can be difficult for him.
He is an aggressive, full steam ahead player and this can be used against him at times, as opponents wash him out of the play or just let his momentum take himself out. Jackson plays over his toes and ends up on the ground too often.
When Jackson is on, he can take over a game, but there are also times, such as the Oklahoma State game from this past season, where he has very little impact from start to finish. This is not for a lack of effort, but he just could not do anything to cause the tackle problems.
Jackson’s sack totals from the past two years are strong, but his pressure numbers are not overly impressive, with just 57 since 2023.
This sums up Jackson’s game as a pass rusher pretty well; he is able to finish and make splash plays, but is not enough of a presence on a snap to snap basis as a pass rusher. His career high PFF pass rush grade is 72.2, which is from 2024.
Those low pressure numbers are likely to be an issue for the Packers if they are considering taking Jackson.
His yearly average of 25.33 pressures as a college starter would represent by far the lowest number Brian Gutekunst has drafted in an edge rusher in any round, with Kingsley Enagbare (31) currently the low mark.
Jackson’s athletic testing may be excellent, but it does not quite match the tape. His tall, stiff build is something he will have to overcome to be a productive NFL player. He could be an option for Green Bay in round two, but taking him in the first would feel a bit rich.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers first-round prospects: Arkansas’s Landon Jackson
