Photo: Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire

The Minnesota Vikings came into the 2025 NFL Draft with major needs at defensive back and offensive line. Many mock drafters, including ourselves, had Minnesota taking a safety to provide a spark for their secondary. However, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah had other ideas.

The Vikings selected left guard Donovan Jackson with their first pick to reinforce their offensive line for years to come. Jackson had a 6.7 grade on our draft site, which ranks at the top of our positional ranking next to Alabama guard Tyler Booker. He was number one in FBS for Total Points among ALL offensive linemen last season, regardless of position. The Vikings hope he can come in and start straight away, continuing his reign of terror against his opponents.

Here is a look at Jackson and how he can contribute in Minnesota immediately:

Jackson’s Strengths And Weaknesses

 Donovan Jackson measures out at 6’4’’ 315 pounds, which is sufficient for the left guard position. He started 40 games at Ohio State, with 9 of those starts coming at left tackle. He has some flexibility to play both sides and positions, but will do his best work from the interior.

Jackson possesses good play strength and drive ability that allows him to move defenders on the run. He isn’t a dominant finisher, but he can certainly create run lanes. He uses his lower half well to stay balanced through contact and can recover quickly by using his fluid hips to stay upright in uncomfortable positions. He also has the mobility to combo-block up to the second level.

In pass protection, he can anchor well against bigger defenders to give the quarterback enough space to do his work. However, he will occasionally lose leverage by keeping his hands too wide on the shoulder pads, which leaves him vulnerable to blown blocks and holding penalties in the NFL. He will need to clean that up before his rookie season or else teams will quickly learn to exploit it.

With good coaching, Jackson has all of the tools necessary to succeed at the left guard position. There are no physical limitations for him. He will be tested early, but he should adapt to NFL competition relatively quickly.

Minnesota Team Needs

 Last year, Minnesota’s offensive line went through a lot over the course of the season. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw went down with a torn ACL and MCL in Week 8, knocking him out for the remainder of the year. The interior offensive linemen, while mostly healthy, performed poorly

Center Garrett Bradbury, who has since been released, led ALL interior linemen in blown blocks.

Left guard Blake Brandel was not far behind, ranking 9th among interior offensive linemen in blown blocks with 30. If you combine Ed Ingram and Dalton Risner, who started 9 and 8 games at RG, respectively, they had a total of 33 blown blocks.

Minnesota desperately needed some new blood in its offensive line room. This offseason, the Vikings have replaced their entire interior. Former Colts center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries will come in and immediately inject some stability. They both missed substantial time due to injury last year, however they were much more effective (only 12 blown blocks between them) with just under a full season of snaps.

Jackson is coming in at the perfect time. The Vikings are competitive. The offensive line room is fresh and ready to turn the page after an ugly year. JJ McCarthy is healthy. Minnesota’s 2025 season outlook looks very promising entering training camp.

How Jackson fits in Minnesota

 Minnesota primarily used a zone rushing scheme last season (72% zone, 8th highest clip in the NFL). They operated mainly out of 11 or 12 personnel formations and were the 2nd-most effective team in 12 personnel last year. Kevin O’Connell likes to mix things up pre-snap as well, using a motion on nearly 60% of plays last year (59% to be exact).

Jackson has experience working in a zone-heavy scheme at Ohio State, which they ran at a 69% rate. He can pull when asked, however his strength is in his ability to move defenders and create running lanes. Last season, ball carriers averaged 3.7 yards before contact when running to his gap.

At Ohio State, Jackson led ALL FBS offensive linemen in Total Points in 2024.

30 of those 49 Total Points came from his run blocking, which ranked 2nd among all FBS offensive linemen last year. His 19 pass blocking Total Points ranked 13th. His effectiveness is evident in both areas.

Overall, Jackson is a well-rounded blocker who can be very effective in zone but still possesses the mobility to pull through to the 2nd level. He should plug right into the left guard spot next to new additions Ryan Kelly and Will Fries. If Darrisaw goes down again, the Vikings will have the option to use Jackson at left tackle as well.

How Good a Fit Is He?

The Vikings will get someone who has been a part of a winning culture before and knows what it takes to win at a high level. His solid base and mobility will make him effective in Minnesota’s zone-heavy run scheme. In pass protection, he can anchor well against bigger defenders to give JJ McCarthy time in the pocket.

Since he played at Ohio State, Jackson is no stranger to cold weather and should be able to adapt to the frigid NFC North games at Soldier Field and Lambeau Field toward the end of the season.

Final Word: Jackson is an excellent fit and should contribute immediately in Minnesota’s revamped offensive line room.