The Minnesota Vikings have selected Ohio State offensive lineman Donovan Jackson with the 24th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
Jackson is a three-time first team All-Big Ten selection and 2024 All-American who mostly played left guard for the Buckeyes before sliding out to left tackle last season due to an injury to teammate Josh Simmons. He'll slot in at left guard for the Vikings, completing their offensive line.
Christian Darrisaw, Jackson, Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, and Brian O'Neill, from left to right, now make up the Vikings' projected offensive line in front of J.J. McCarthy. All three interior starters were acquired this offseason. The Vikings weren't messing around when they said they needed to upgrade the interior of the pocket after their loss to the Rams in the first round of the playoffs.
At 6'4", 315 pounds, Jackson is a powerful, athletic offensive lineman who has shown he can play both guard and tackle. He played in 55 games for Ohio State over the last four years.
With only four total picks in this year's draft, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and company were undoubtedly open to the possibility of trading down from 24 to accumulate additional capital. But that was always going to depend on who was available and what kind of offers they received. Ultimately, the decision was made to stay put at 24 and take Jackson.
Adding intrigue to the trade-down possibility is that each of the next two teams picking after the Vikings traded down. The Texans moved from 25 to 34 and picked up a third-rounder this year and next year, with the Giants coming up to get QB Jaxson Dart. The Rams then moved down from 24 to 46 with the Falcons and picked up a 2026 first-rounder.
Clearly, the Vikings like Jackson a lot and didn't believe he'd be on the board at 34.
This move allows previous starting LG Blake Brandel to bump down to an important depth role for the Vikings' offensive line.
Jackson becomes the fifth first-round pick of the Adofo-Mensah and O'Connell era, joining Lewis Cine, Jordan Addison, J.J. McCarthy, and Dallas Turner.
The Vikings have just three picks remaining: Nos. 97, 139, and 187 overall.
