New York Jets See Versatility in Former Seminole Standout
At 6'5'', 315 pounds, former Florida State standout defensive lineman Darrell Jackson, Jr. is hard to miss. Add in his 7'2'' wingspan and 11-inch hands, and you start to get an idea of why NFL teams were interested in the Havana, Florida, native. Jackson, Jr. was ultimately selected by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft with high expectations at the next level.
The New York Jets rookie minicamp began on Friday, May 8, kicking off a three-day non-contact event for the 56-man roster, which includes eight 2026 draft picks, 12 undrafted free agents, and 31 tryout players.
On Friday, head coach Aaron Glenn met with the media and already has a pretty good idea of where he sees Jackson's role in the trenches.
New York Envisions Darrell Jackson Jr. in Multiple Roles Up Front
"I actually see him playing what we would call a 'big end'. So he will play a five-technique or four-technique," Glenn said. "He'll be able to do that, and with his size and his length, he really fits that role to a T."
Entering his second year leading the Jets, Glenn pointed to New York's plans to utilize Jackson at several spots along the defensive front.
"Once we go to four-down, we'll see exactly how he operates at the nose and at the three-technique, and we are going to continue to develop that player," Glenn continued. "Obviously, he has the size and everything. Now it's just understanding exactly how we want to do things, and that is what he is going to do all of this week, going in with the vets."
AG on where he sees Darrell Jackson Jr. lining up along the D-line pic.twitter.com/rkI5zjmQfZ
- New York Jets (@nyjets) May 8, 2026
Jets Looking to Develop Darrell Jackson Jr. Across Defensive Front
With the Jets expected to shift toward more of a 3-4 base defense this season, depth at true nose tackle becomes increasingly important. Jackson possesses the size and skill set to fill that role alongside T'Vondre Sweat, who joined New York as part of the team's reshaped defensive front following the departure of former Seminole Jermaine Johnson II.
Jackson's versatility may ultimately become one of his biggest advantages as he adjusts to the NFL level. His combination of length and power gives the Jets flexibility to move him across multiple alignments depending on the package and situation.
In 2025, Jackson ranked fifth among FBS defensive tackles with 23 run stops. During the 2024 season, he also posted the ninth-highest pressure rate among 401 qualified defensive tackles.
How quickly he adapts to the Jets' system could position the former Seminole to compete for meaningful snaps early in his rookie season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/fsu as New York Jets See Versatility in Former Seminole Standout.
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This story was originally published May 9, 2026 at 8:00 AM.