Tommy Yarrish

(Editor's Note: While the start of the 2025 NFL Draft isn't until late April, it's never too early to profile some of the key participants. The staff of DallasCowboys.com intends to preview the landscape of the draft's top prospects, with an emphasis on possible Cowboys draft picks from the first round to the last. Today's featured player is Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson)

• Name:Donovan Jackson

• Position:OG

• College:Ohio State

• Height/Weight:6'4 / 315

• Did You Know?Jackson was draft eligible in 2024, and even told reporters that he was "one foot out [the door]" and ready to make the jump to the NFL after the end of last season. Instead, he had a last second change of heart and was one of the staples of the Ohio State offensive line that would end up winning the national championship.

Where He's Projected:

Jackson's versatility to play guard or tackle at a high level is incredibly intriguing, and NFL teams are seeing it too, with most projections having Jackson go in the late first to second round.

How He Helps the Cowboys:

Brian Schottenheimer has told reporters that the Cowboys want to put their best five offensive lineman on the field when Week 1 of the 2025 season rolls around, regardless of position. If that's the case, then Jackson is a player you'd want because you can draft him and figure out where to slot him amongst the rest of your group after that.

When projected first-round pick Josh Simmons suffered an injury midway through the season last year, Jackson slid from left guard to left tackle. In his first game, Jackson struggled mightily against Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter, who is widely considered to be one of if not the best overall prospects in this upcoming draft class. After that game, he did not give up a sack the rest of the season, and didn't give up any sacks while he played at left guard either.

The question for the Cowboys is after losing Zack Martin, do they feel confident enough in the players in the room right now (ex. Brock Hoffman, T.J. Bass, Robert Jones) to be able to play at a high enough level for 17 games? If they don't and feel like they need to grab someone who can or can develop into that kind of player, then Jackson fits the bill of a prospect that could be a great long-term addition.

Final Thoughts:

Since his days as a five-star prospect at Houston's Episcopal high school, Jackson was always destined to be an NFL offensive lineman. He's stayed on that track during his time at Ohio State, and still has the great build for the position to go along with a nasty edge with him to finish plays strong and keep driving his legs.

His long arms and good base keep him from moving back much and he's able to nullify a lot of bull rushes fairly quickly. He's not the most athletic guy laterally and can be beat by quick, bendy defenders (like Carter), but there's plenty of good in his game and with plenty of time to develop, can be a staple up front for an offense for quite some time.

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