The Big Ten Conference college football teams in the state of Michigan are struggling this season. As the Michigan Wolverines currently sit at 5-5 overall and the Michigan State Spartans are 4-5, the state's NFL team is certainly not facing the same struggles.
The Detroit Lions are rolling in 2024 and despite a rough performance in the first half versus C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans this past week, Dan Campbell's squad fought back in the second half and pulled off a surprising comeback. The 26-23 victory moves the Lions to 8-1 on the year.
Even though the Lions are full steam ahead towards a playoff birth and potential Super Bowl run, a new mock draft for 2025 has the Lions selecting an Ohio State star to further improve the roster.
The 33rd team posted a first-round mock draft with Detroit selecting offensive guard Donovan Jackson with the No. 31 pick.
Sep 28, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Donovan Jackson (74) and defensive tackle Tyleik Williams (91) walk off the field after defeating Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium on Saturday. / Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Notably, the city of Detroit is no stranger to being the home of Ohio State offensive linemen. Taylor Decker has been the starting left tackle for the team since 2016. Not only has he spent his whole nine-year NFL career with the Lions, but his contract extension this offseason likely means that he will be there much longer as well.
In 2020, the Lions drafted offensive guard Jonah Jackson who played in 57 games with the team prior to signing with the Los Angeles Rams as a free agent in the spring. Could a different Jackson from Ohio State be a solid fit with the Lions?
Absolutely.
Donovan Jackson is a tough offensive guard with lots of playing experience at the collegiate level. As injuries have occurred to his left on Ohio State's line, Jackson has found himself in a very new position. He has been tasked with bumping out to left tackle.
This has likely been a positive for him. It shows off his versatility and his willingness to do whatever is needed to win games. At 6'4", Jackson does not have true tackle length and will likely not be asked to play anything other than guard at the next level. That being said, if the worst case scenario appears, Jackson can be ready.
With Decker and Jackson potentially manning the left side of Detroit's line, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs should feel confident about running to the left side.
