Tyson Jackson Scouting Report

At one point during the 2007 season, Jackson was thought to become a first round pick in the NFL Draft if he declined to return to Baton Rouge for his senior year. A disappointing junior campaign, however, left Jackson with a diminished draft stock and convinced him to return to LSU. He recorded only 3.5 sacks (down from 8.5 in his sophomore season) and 4.5 tackles-for-loss. His numbers did explode off the charts in 2008 (4.5 sacks), but that was in part because LSU had so many other future NFL stars making plays on the defensive end of the field. The good news for Jackson is that the NFL will love his physical makeup regardless of his stats. He can carry his 6'5", 292-pound frame through a 40-yard-dash in about 4.8 seconds. Jackson seems even faster than that coming off the end, even though his end speed isn't exactly dominant. His long wing span also comes in handy for wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks. Inconsistency is an issue for Jackson, but part of that is due to seeing double-teams from offensive lines. That won't happen to him in the NFL, at least not right away. Furthermore, Jackson should be able to play either end in a 3-4 scheme or tackle in a 3-4, and that versatility is valued in the NFL. Look for Jackson to come off the board in the middle of the first round in this month's draft.