Closing out with the Lions final selection of day two, Ohio State offensive guard Jonah Jackson, the pick was again a big hit with Pro Football Focus:
Jonah Jackson was a PFF favorite all draft season, and the Lions got him more than 30 spots later than we had him at on our draft board. Jackson’s pass sets are the best in the entire draft class. He gets on interior defenders lighting-quick and did it regardless of alignment. Jackson has lined up all across the interior for Ohio State and Rutgers the last few years and had incredible production — his grade on true pass sets since 2017 is well above the 90th percentile. This was a great pick by Detroit.
Sports Illustrated liked the Jackson pick as well, giving it an “A-“:
The Lions invested in their long-stagnant run game early on Friday, drafting Georgia’s DeAndre Swift. Then, they did it again, taking Jackson, who has a chance to start immediately at right guard ahead of middling veterans Oday Aboushi and Kenny Wiggins (who can be a high quality backup). It’s always great when one draft pick can boost another.
Even Bleacher Report liked this pick, handing out an “A-” grade as well:
Anyway, Jackson is an agile, quick-footed blocker who excels at getting position on his defender, whether when zone-blocking, combo-blocking or peeling off a double-team to take on a late blitzer. He’s a bit narrow and lean for an interior lineman, and he lacks the raw power to do Quenton Nelson-type stuff. Jackson may always need support against Aaron Donald types, but he’s a natural fit for a modern NFL offense, and he should quickly develop into a capable starter. This is a strong pick for a Lions team that clearly wants to get more rugged in the trenches.
Yahoo! Sports was most bearish on the selection, giving the Lions a “C-“:
Jackson was outside our top 100 and felt like a Day 3 pick to us, but this isn’t a massive reach for a strong, sturdy interior blocker who could work his way into a starting spot. The Rutgers transfer was able to showcase his run-blocking skill last season for the Buckeyes, and he’s a high-character worker who fits the Matt Patricia typecast.