Texas A&M’s 2023 season will undoubtedly be marred by multiple narratives surrounding Head Coach Jimbo Fisher’s inability to “steady the ship” during the Aggies’ 5-7 2022 debacle. Still, after hiring new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, combined with an elite roster littered with blue-chip talent, there’s nowhere to go but up as we head into fall camp.
With several returning veterans on offense and defense, ESPN’s Matt Miller asked 15 NFL scouts who they believe are the most underrated prospects heading into next year’s 2024 NFL Draft. To no surprise, Texas A&M senior defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson made the list ahead of what should be his most productive season yet.
Over the last two seasons, injuries paired with a lack of alignment change on the line, taking most of his snaps at the nose tackle position, Jackson was a team captain last season, recording 37 tackles (23 solo), seven tackles for loss, and two sacks on the year, including a career-high 12 tackles against Ole Miss. According to PFF, Jackson ranked as the highest-rated defensive lineman for the Aggies last season, and to fully utilize his ability as a three-down lineman, providing more pass-rush opportunities as opposed to lining him up to stop the run will not only benefit the team but further aid in his draft stock going into 2024.
Here are some of what NFL scouts said about Jackson’s ability in the trenches.
From an NFL scout who covers Texas:
“The first thing you notice is his explosiveness. There is so much power generated off the snap. He’s hard to handle one-on-one,”
From an NFC scout:
You talk to the coaches down there, and they’ll tell you the O-line is struggling to contain him — and that’s a veteran interior line down there,” he stated “If he’s doing that in practice, watch out.”
at 6-2 and over 320 pounds, Jackson’s explosive first step and high-end athleticism will have every NFL scout in the country vying for talents, and with the players surrounding him on the line this coming season, including Shemar Turner, Walter Nolan, Shemar Stewart, etc., the sky is the limit for McKinnley Jackson.
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