Most FSU football fans expected FSU defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft along with his best friend and teammate Joshua Farmer. However, Jackson surprised many by returning to FSU for one more season.
Jackson sat out FSU's 2023 season due to dumb decisions by the NCAA and the transfer portal. He played limited reps in the Orange Bowl against Georgia. His 2024 season was solid but hard to gauge because of how the season played out.
He likely would have been a day two or three selection, but Jackson and FSU coaches believed there's potential to become a top 10 NFL Draft pick in 2026. Jackson will likely make a nice sum in NIL by returning to FSU, and his return was like winning a major battle in the transfer portal.
However, the difference in contract money between a player selected in the top 10 overall and someone in the third round or beyond is usually at least 15 million dollars or more. That's life-changing money, especially for most folks from Gadsden County.
Jackson has the size and athleticism to become a top-10 draft selection. His mindset and consistency have been two major things holding him from maximizing his potential. Those two aspects have been what new FSU defensive line coach Terrance Knighton has focused on with Jackson since arriving in Tallahassee a few months ago.
It's evident in his gameplay, as Jackson was unblockable and a one-man wrecking crew on film sometimes. Other times, he looked like an ordinary player. One play that sticks out to me was the missed tackle against freshman Florida quarterback DJ Lagway in the regular season finale.
A top-10 NFL Draft selection is supposed to make that play every single time. FSU has had recent success producing top-flight NFL defensive linemen. Jared Verse won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award this past season, and Braden Fiske was right on his heels to win it.
If Jackson has the season he's capable of, there's no reason he can't be a top 10 NFL Draft selection or a first-round selection at the very least.