Through the summer, we will be counting down the Jets roster player by player. We continue the series by discussing Darrell Jackson Jr.
Name: Darrell Jackson Jr.
Number: 78
Year With Jets: 1st
Projected Role: Depth defensive lineman
His 2025: Jackson’s final collegiate season at Florida State saw him record 45 tackles and 3 sacks. The Jets selected him in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
2026 will be a success if: Jackson can improve his technique and give the Jets a handful of quality snaps per
game. There is a bit of a logjam along the interior of the defensive line so Jackson doesn’t figure to be a prominent player in the Jets defense unless there are a lot of injuries. That’s perfectly fine. Fourth round picks are meant to be developed and brought along slowly. The real hope for Jackson is he shows steady improvement through the year and performs in the instances he is called upon to play. There will be a learning curve, particularly since it sounds like the Jets plan on having him move up and down the line.
Odds of making the roster: Lock (>99%)
