How Oregon offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson performed at the NFL Combine
There aren’t many offensive linemen who arrived at the NFL Combine last week with more buzz surrounding them than Oregon’s Jackson-Powers-Johnson.
During his final season with the Ducks, Powers-Johnson became the first Rimington Trophy winner and the fifth unanimous All-American in UO history. He also put on an impressive showing at Senior Bowl practices in January, further bolstering his draft stock.
Although he didn’t participate in several tests at the Combine in Indianapolis over the weekend, Powers-Johnson still managed to impress evaluators.
Powers-Johnson came in at 6-foot-3, 328 pounds That’s the same height, and eight pounds lighter than he was listed at Oregon during the 2023 season.
His 32-inch vertical was the 15th-best out of 53 offensive linemen. His 8-foot-8 broad jump ranked 39th out of 50 linemen who participated in that event.
Powers-Johnson’s 30 bench press reps were the sixth-most among all offensive linemen. He did not participate in the 40-yard dash.
Where Powers-Johnson really impressed, though, was during position drills.
Powers-Johnson is currently listed by ESPN as its No. 37 overall prospect in the 2024 Draft class and No. 2 center.
Jackson Powers-Johnson NFL.com scouting report
“Broadly built center prospect with below-average length but above-average upper-body power. Powers-Johnson isn’t much of a knee-bender, which impacts his pad level and drive leverage, but he can torque and toss opponents around with some regularity at the point. Powers-Johnson is a fierce competitor with a salty disposition but needs to improve his first-phase technique to create more consistent block sustains. Despite average athleticism, he doesn’t seem to have many issues in pass protection, as he works with clear eyes, a wide base and good discipline to keep his weight back. His rookie season could be bumpy if he has to play early, but he should come out on the other side as a long-time starter.” – Lance Zierlein
Strengths
- Carries broad chest, thick hips and meaty hands.
- Heavy hands hammer A-gap threats when protecting the quarterback.
- Processes gaming fronts without overreacting or lunging.
- Plays with a rugged, disdainful attitude toward opponents.
- Jolts defenders around with powerful upper body.
- Plays with adequate footwork for double-teams and work-up blocks.
Weaknesses
- Relatively limited experience as a full-time starter.
- Would like to see better pad level and explosion into first contact.
- Below-average body control to consistently square up moving targets.
- Lacks lateral quickness to reach play-side defenders at a high rate.
- Limited reactive quickness if he’s isolated against an athletic rusher.
