Jackson Powers-Johnson Selected by Las Vegas Raiders in the 2024 NFL Draft
Oregon Ducks center Jackson Powers-Johnson has his NFL home. On Friday the Las Vegas Raiders selected Powers-Johnson with the 44th pick in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Powers-Johnson was the second center off the board in this year’s draft, as a great junior season and strong showing in the 2024 Scouting Combine solidified his standing with NFL teams.
The 6-foot-3, 320-pound Oregon offensive lineman was the winner of the 2023 Rimington Trophy, awarded annually to the best center in college football. He built on Oregon’s strong legacy at the position during his college career, following in the the footsteps of Max Unger, Hroniss Grassu and more recently Alex Forsyth.
Powers-Johnson spent three seasons in Eugene, seeing the field early in 2021 and 2022 and showcasing his versatility all over the offensive line, but primarily playing guard.
2023 was his year to captain the offensive line, as he took over snapping duties in the wake of long-time starter Alex Forsyth’s departure. His play set the pace along an A’lique Terry-led offensive that was one of four finalists for the Joe Moore Award recognizing the nation’s most outstanding offensive line unit.
Prior to the draft Powers-Johnson spoke about what Oregon’s meant to him.
“Oregon’s meant so much to me. I’ve been a Duck through and through,” he said at Oregon’s Pro Day. “I have a Nike tattoo, I have Oregon Duck tattoos. This place is really truly home for me and some place that I will come back to as much as possible and try to pour into this program even long gone.
“It is surreal I remember coming here as a freshman, watching those guys, 2020 class Penei (Sewell), a couple other guys like that doing their Pro Day and I just put that in my back pocket and said hey I’m gonna get there.”
As a recruit
Powers-Johnson was a four-star prospect out of in Draper (Utah) Corner Canyon High School. He signed with Oregon as part of Mario Cristobal’s 2021 recruiting class, which at the time was the highest-ranked class in program history.
He was ranked the No. 263 player nationally, the No. 15 interior offensive lineman and the No. 4 player in Utah.
Powers-Johnson continues Oregon’s tradition of producing top-tier offensive linemen as he’ll join former Outland Trophy winner Penei Sewell at the highest level, who became the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL on Wednesday after signing a record-breaking contract with the Detroit Lions.
