NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Ohio State Edge Kenyatta Jackson Jr.

People who like an old-school, physical brand of football in the trenches will be big fans of Kennyatta Jackson Jr. The 6'6", 265-pound defensive end has a good frame to work with and wins with impressive strength in both phases of the game. However, he does leave something to be desired as an overall athlete.

Jackson entered Ohio State as a 4-star recruit in the 2022 class but didn't get much playing time on the Buckeyes' deep defensive line until his junior season.

He was a backup behind JT Tuimoloau (Colts' second-round pick) and Jack Sawyer (Steelers fourth-round pick), collecting 16 tackles, three tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks that year.

This season has been Jackson's breakout campaign, serving as a starter and logging 27 tackles, 11 TFLs, 6.5 sacks, and two passes defended. That was good enough to earn honorable mention All-Big Ten honors.

Matt Holder has been a part of B/R's Scouting Department for four seasons. He also writes about the Las Vegas Raiders and NFL draft for SB Nation's Silver and Black Pride, and co-hosts a YouTube Channel, Tape Don't Lie, providing film breakdowns and more draft prospect analysis.

Where He Wins

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- Jackson has good size and a good frame with room for growth if needed. He also appears to have long arms.

- Against the run, he takes on blocks with low pad level, a wide base, and has solid strength and physicality at the point of attack. He also plays with his hands in front of him and uses them to engage offensive linemen.

- Can set the edge and hold his ground against one-on-one blocks from offensive linemen or when taking on pullers.

- Decent hump and arm over moves to catch offensive linemen leaning and escape blocks.

- As a pass-rusher, he has solid power and keeps his legs moving through contact to occasionally collapse the pocket against offensive tackles. Also, he has the strength to push through the tackle's inside shoulder.

- Has flashed arm-over and cross-chop moves as decent secondary pass-rush moves.

Areas of Improvement

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- Jackson isn't a fluid athlete and lacks quickness, making it difficult for him to win with finesse moves as a pass-rusher.

- Not explosive off the line of scrimmage to threaten offensive tackles with speed around the edge.

- Could afford to work the hands more after contact as a pass-rusher.

- Subpar bend to turn tight corners at the top of the rush.

- Slow to recognize reach blocks and has bad agility, leading to him getting reached/scooped out of his gap.

- Hand placement when taking on blocks is a little wide, exposing his chest a bit and preventing him from maximizing his extension.

- Not strong enough to hold his gap against double teams and combo blocks from offensive tackles and tight ends when playing as a 4i-technique. Profiles better as a base end in even fronts.

Grade, Rank, and Pro Comparison

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GRADE: 6.6 (Role Player/Part-Time Contributor — 4th Round)

COMPARABLE GRADE: Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State (6.6 in 2024), Dominique Robinson, Miami of Ohio (6.7 in 2022), Josaiah Stewart, Michigan (6.6 in 2025)

OVERALL RANK: 150

POSITION RANK: EDGE17

PRO COMPARISON: Isaiah McGuire

Measurables and Testing Data

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HEIGHT: 6'6"

WEIGHT: 265

Workout numbers and data will be added at a later date.