Every NFL team wants a franchise left tackle they can rely on to protect their quarterback. That should make USC’s Austin Jackson a top priority for many teams in the 2020 NFL Draft.
A promising blocker with tons of experience against top competition under his belt, Jackson recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about his impressive career for the Trojans, donating bone marrow to his sister, and what kind of player he’ll be at the next level.
JM: You had such a great career at USC. You made a lot of starts and gained a lot of experience. How do you look back on your time at USC?
AJ: I just appreciate everybody from that program. I met so many great people and formed so many great relationships. I’ll never forget the time spent with my teammates. Being around the coaching staff was such a great experience. We won a Pac-12 championship and competed in the Holiday Bowl game. We had so many great moments together.
JM: Do you have a favorite moment in a USC jersey?
AJ: I would probably have to say winning the Pac-12 championship. That was the highlight of it all for me.
JM: What can you tell me about the scheme that you guys ran on offense and what your coaches asked of you?
AJ: We became more of a spread offense this past season. We had our own little air raid thing going on. It was great. The coaching staff really asked us to lock in and dedicate ourselves. We committed to learning the playbook. We were lucky to have so many play-makers on the outside. I feel like the offense was a perfect fit for us. It made things easy for us to get along and co-exist as coaches and players. We really came together this past season.
JM: What’s your favorite part about playing the offensive tackle position?
AJ: I just love playing on a line with four of my brothers next to me. We have to line up and be the anchor of the offense. We have to lead the charge and start the fight.
JM: What was your experience like at the NFL Scouting Combine?
AJ: It was a great experience. I had a chance to meet with a lot of teams and be around some of the best athletes and coaches in the world. All of the players at the combine are striving for the same goals. We’re all excited to be going through this process together. It was a fun time. I feel like I had a pretty good week. I was happy with my on-field performance. It was a great week.
JM: Taking every aspect of the combine into account, what do you think is the overall impression that you left out there?
AJ: I feel like I left a good impression of my character and who I am as a person. I’m a guy that comes ready to work day in, day out. I’m always looking to get better. I love the game of football. There were some concerns about me being 20 years old. Am I mature enough? I’m confident that all 32 teams left the combine knowing that I’m a very mature person for my age.
JM: What was the strangest question you were asked at the combine?
AJ: Somebody asked me what my favorite movie was right in the middle of an interview about football. We were in the middle of a lengthy conversation about football. That was pretty random. It kind of came out of the blue.
JM: That is pretty random. How did you answer?
AJ: My favorite movie is Smokin’ Aces. I just answered their question honestly, and then we got back to football (laughs).
JM: I know that you’re keeping the teams private at this time, but have you met with many teams via FaceTime? Did you get a chance to make any in-person visits?
AJ: I’ve had quite a few meetings via FaceTime and Zoom. I’ve probably met with about 15 different teams in that capacity. I had a lot of in-person visits set up, but things have been difficult with COVID-19. Everything I had scheduled was meant to go down after my pro day. My pro day ended up getting canceled. We had to cancel all of those in-person meetings and workouts.
JM: What’s your favorite way to demoralize your opponent?
AJ: I just love to get after a guy over and over again. Getting a pancake and putting him on the ground can be pretty demoralizing. I love getting a pancake, getting back up and I’m ready to do it all over again on the next play.
JM: How do you handle speed differently than power?
AJ: You wanna try to beat the defender to his spot. I find it relatively easy to throw a speed rusher off of his rushing lane. Having the speed to beat him to his spot and then using your power against that speed guy can be pretty crucial.
With power, I have to be in the right spot and have the right leverage. Your technique is pretty crucial when it comes to being able to sit against that bull rush.
JM: Kedon Slovis intrigues me as a quarterback of the future. What are your thoughts on him?
AJ: He’s a great kid. He’s super competitive. He’s a very smart and humble guy. He understands how to play the game at a high level. I feel like his talent is well beyond his years.
JM: Who are some of the best edge rushers you’ve gone up against?
AJ: I remember playing against Nick Bosa during my freshman year. Julian Okwara definitely stood out to me as well. A.J. Epenesa from Iowa was another one. Those are the three guys that come to mind.
JM: You made a brave decision when you decided to donate bone marrow to your younger sister, Autumn, who was battling a rare blood disease. What can you tell me about that?
AJ: My sister was born with Diamond Blackfan Anemia (DBA). It’s a blood disease which basically doesn’t allow your body to reproduce red blood cells, which is of course is very crucial to the function of the human body. Having this disease makes every day tasks extremely difficult. She was getting blood transfusions every three weeks throughout her time in high school. It can be very dangerous for your blood levels to get that low.
It was a long process. I had surgery in my bone marrow. She was going through chemotherapy at the time. It was killing her immune system. When her body accepts my blood, it will allow her to reproduce red blood cells.
That’s what she was up against. We got lucky in a sense. I happened to be an exact match with her on 12 different criteria to be her donor. We went through all of the necessary testing and we were an exact match on all fronts. It was a blessing.
JM: How is she doing today?
AJ: She’s doing great. She’s well on her way to a full recovery.
JM: That’s amazing to hear. Thank you sharing that story with us. When a team drafts Austin Jackson, what kind of guy are they getting?
AJ: They’re getting a competitor, first and foremost. They’re getting a natural athlete that is always looking to get better. I’m looking forward to contributing to a lot of wins in my immediate future.
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