ANew York Jets rookie is set to be put on ice in 2026.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini explained why the Jets will “redshirt” defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr this year.
“He goes [No.] 103, Scouts Incorporated had him as the 108th prospect, so probably right about the same. So I thought the value was there. At first glance, you’re saying another defensive tackle? Do they really need another defensive tackle? But look what’s on the horizon. Harrison Phillips and David Onyemata are on one-year deals, basically so they’re going to be free agents after this year. So I think this was a future pick. I do not think Darrell Jackson Jr will be playing a lot. He will probably be an inactive player for much of the year. It’s essentially a redshirt year for him,” Cimini said on the “Jets Collective” podcast.
The Jets selected Jackson with the No. 103 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL draft.
Insider Explains Why Jets Were Interested
“He is a massive guy. He is just a big dude. [Jackson] has 11-inch hands; he has an 86″ wingspan. That is like a Patrick Ewing kind of wingspan. He is an interesting guy. I’m just reading off my notes here. He was 200 pounds as a high school junior; he got up to 340 [pounds] by his last year in college. He is just a big dude who is very strong, who needs a lot of refinement, but like I said, I think this is a redshirt year for him. It’s a future pick with the position a year from now will look different than it does now,” Cimini added during the “Jets Collective” podcast.
Jackson, 23, was measured at 6-foot-5 and tipped the scales at 315 pounds at this year’s NFL Combine.
“A two-year starter at Florida State (and three-year starter overall), Jackson lined up as a nose tackle over the center in three-man fronts and as a one-tech in even looks in defensive coordinator Tony White’s scheme. After playing football for the first time as a junior in high school, he made stops at Maryland and Miami before transferring to Florida State in 2023 to be closer to his mother,” Dane Brugler of The Athletic wrote in “The Beast.”
Across his five years in college, Jackson appeared in 50 games and made 38 starts. With those opportunities, Jackson has collected 129 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and two pass deflections.
A Deep Dive Into the Defensive Tackle Room
Defensive tackle is one of the strongest positional units on the Jets’ roster:
- Jowon Briggs
- David Onyemata
- Harrison Phillips
- T’Vondre Sweat
- Mazi Smith
- Payton Page
- Jack Heflin
- Darrell Jackson Jr
Four key members of that group are set to be free agents next offseason. Briggs is set to be a restricted free agent.
When Jackson was taken, it was initially surprising. However, the NFL draft isn’t just about the present; it’s also about the future. General manager Darren Mougey is essentially a professional juggler with one ball representing the present and one representing the future.
A luxury today can quickly become a necessity tomorrow.
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