The 2024 NFL draft presents an intriguing amount of early round talent along the OL. Oregon Ducks’ Jackson Powers-Johnson, aka JPJ, contributes to that outlook. His name is firmly in the mix for best center in the draft. The Cowboys took notice to that fact, proven by inviting him in for a 30-vist; a pre-draft process where teams bring the player into their facility, a day long familiarity affair. This is a good opportunity for both parties since a formal meeting at the NFL Scouting combine did not take place.
The buzz surrounding JPJ by Cowboys Nation is no secret at this point. So, who is he?
Jackson Powers-Johnson is youngest of 4 siblings raised in Draper, Utah. He played high school ball at Corner Canyon High School in Draper where he would establish himself as a two-way starter on the offensive (LG) and defensive lines (DT). Powers-Johnson helped his team to three straight undefeated seasons and state championships, recognized as and All-American. He earned a four-star recruitment rating and had offers from a number of schools.
Powers-Johnson would elect to play his 3 seasons of college football for the Oregon Ducks. He started in 2 games, played in 7, his freshman year and started in 1 game, played in 12, his sophomore season. As a junior, Powers-Johnson assumed an official starting role when he transitioned to center for his last dance with the Ducks. He made the most of it by becoming a consensus All-American and cementing himself as one of the nation’s best players heading to the 2024 NFL Draft.
GENERAL NOTES:
• Draper, Utah native
• 2023 Rimington Trophy winner (nation’s best center)
• 2023 Unanimous All-American
• 2023 All-Pac-12 first team (coaches)
• 2023 Associated Press All-Pac-12 first team
• 2023 Pro Football Focus All-Pac-12 first team
• 2023 Outland Trophy semifinalist
• HS – All-American
• HS – All-State
• HS – Played both ways
• HS – State champion
• HS – Tri-sport athlete: baseball and wrestling
• HS – Played with Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart
• Consensus four-star recruit
Participating in the NFL Scouting combine, Reese’s Senior Bowl and the Oregon football pro day workouts helped NFL scouts gauge who he is as an athlete.
Injury History: 2023 Undisclosed vs USC (Exited and returned). 2023 Minor Senior Bowl training injury (Left after Day 2).
Analysis: Played at Oregon and wore #58. He presents an ideal height for a center at 6’ 3″, with a robust frame weighing in at 334 pounds, notably heavier than the average for his position. Powers-Johnson’s reach, measured by a 79-inch wingspan and 32.125-inch arm length, is well within the standard range, and his hand size is slightly less than the norm.
• Overall: Ideal height with a dense frame and adequate reach, paired with ideal strength and adequate athleticism.
• 40 yard dash: 5.00 seconds (unofficial)
• Very fast compared to the average OC prospect
• Vertical: 32″ Broad Jump: 104″
• Decent hops compared to the average OC prospect
• Solid lift compared to the average OC prospect
Games Watched: Washington x2 (2023) USC (2023) Utah (2023) Cal (2022) UCLA (2022)
Best Game: Washington (2023 – Conference Championship Game)
Worst Game: Utah (2023)
As a young 21-year-old draft prospect, Powers-Johnson stands out with versatility at both the center and guard positions. He exhibits impressive play and grip strength, tenacity, and excellent leverage and pad level at the point of attack in the run game. Powers-Johnson displays quickness out of his stance and a quality first step. He possesses a solid anchor, allowing him to effectively uproot defenders in the run game. Powers-Johnson’s hands are both fast and powerful, with well-timed strikes, and he operates with precision in space.
His athleticism and movement are top-notch, and he’s proactive in seeking work, capable of executing any block and turning defensive tackles inside out. Powers-Johnson’s blocking skills are well-rounded, with experience in gap-heavy run blocking and adequate performance in zone schemes when tasked. His awareness in picking up stunts, twists, and blitzes in pass protection is sharp. Remarkably, he has never allowed a sack and has only given up four pressures on 758 pass blocking snaps. His skills have earned him high rankings by PFF, including 3rd in run blocking and 4th in pass protection as a center in 2023, and 8th in run blocking and 16th in pass protection as a guard in 2022.
POSITIVES:
• 21 years old on draft night, a younger prospect
• No major reported injury history
• OC/OG versatility experience
• Play strength
• Grip strength
• Tenacity
• Leverage at the point of attack
• Pad level
• Quick out of his stance
• First step
• Solid anchor
• Can uproot and displace defenders in the run game
• Fast and powerful hands
• Advantageous timing to his initial strike
• Operates well in space
• Accurate in space
• Quality athleticism and movement capability
• Always looking for work when he is play side
• Capable of reaching any block
• Strong enough to turn DTs inside out
• Sealing and down blocking
• Gap heavy run blocking experience
• Adequate zone scheme blocking, despite not being tasked with it as much as gap
• Alert/Aware to stunts/twist and blitz pickups
• Has never allowed a sack
• Just 4 career pressures allowed on 758 career pass blocking snaps (remarkable)
• Ranked the 3rd best run blocking OC in the country by PFF in 2023
• Ranked the 8th best run blocking OG in the country by PFF in 2022
• Ranked the 4th best pass blocking OC in the country by PFF in 2023
• Ranked the 16th best pass blocking OG in the country by PFF in 2022
Jackson Powers-Johnson is currently overcoming an injury sustained during the pre-draft process and noted at the NFL Scouting Combine. He has challenges with snap delivery due to short arms and a larger midsection, and struggles to maintain knee bend, often standing too upright too soon.
Powers-Johnson’s aggressive play style sometimes leads to unnecessary penalties, and his hand placement can be erratic. Instead of using proper latch and steer mechanics, he occasionally resorts to forceful body contact. His reach, which is less than ideal, is often compensated for by leaning, which can affect his balance. He appears to occasionally lack effort on plays moving away from him and has been prone to false starts, accumulating 14 total career penalties, including 9 in the year 2023.
NEGATIVES:
• Working through an injury established during the pre-draft process that was flagged at the NFL Scouting Combine
• Inconsistent snap delivery, short arms and big belly
• Maintaining knee bend
• Can get tall too quickly
• Needs to reel in the aggression at the appropriate times (avoid unnecessary penalties)
• Inconsistent hand placement
• Sometimes relies on ferocious body bumping instead of latch and steer mechanics
• Compensates for less than ideal reach by leaning
• Occasional plays off look to him when the play is headed away from him quickly
• False starts as a center…
• 14 career penalties
• 9 penalties in 2023
The Cowboys love players with position versatility. For example, Tyler Smith.
Powers-Johnson offers position flexibility along the interior of the offensive line between center and guard, and the Cowboys could definitely elect to upgrade at either of those positions. It’s important to note his experience outside of center primarily resides at RG, but he did see 26 snaps at LG his freshman year at Oregon and played the position in high school.
Whether it’s guard or center, Powers-Johnson projects as a plug and play rookie.
Size: 94
Speed/Agility: 92
Power: 94
Pass Blocking: 94
Run Blocking: 95
Hand Technique: 89
Footwork: 89
Football IQ: 91
Overall Grade: 92.25 (1st Round grade)
Projection: 1st Round Projection