Jackson Powers-Johnson in rare air as potential first-round pick

Trevor Sikkema of PFF said earlier this week that Jackson Powers-Johnson could go as high as the first round.

Jackson Powers-Johnson is a special player. Oregon Ducks fans have known that for a while, but two months ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, it seems the rest of the country is starting to realize how great he is.

Earlier this week, Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus (PFF) claimed that Powers-Johnson could be selected in the first round of the draft in April. As Sikkema pointed out, center isn’t typically a position group selected in the first round. Powers-Johnson is just that good.

Powers-Johnson isn’t your typical center, which could be working to his advantage during the draft process. Before 2023, he had experience playing left and right guard, as well as some snaps at offensive tackle and even defensive line. Whichever team selects him in April could slot him in at any of the three interior O-line spots depending on their needs.

2023 was a special season for Jackson Powers-Johnson. He won the Rimington Trophy (awarded to the nation’s best center), an award no Oregon center had ever won. He also finished the season with the highest pass-blocking and run-blocking grades among all Power Five centers. That’s a pretty good way to raise your draft stock.

Regardless of which team selects Jackson Powers-Johnson, what position he ends up playing, and which round he’s selected in, Powers-Johnson is going to be a special player in the NFL, and he’ll be another great player to follow in the slew of Pro Ducks.

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