New York Jets select Darrell Jackson Jr. in 4th round of 2026 NFL Draft

Former Florida State defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. was selected by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. His pro career can now begin!

Jackson spent the last three seasons at Florida State after spending one each at Maryland and Miami. Last year, he put up 45 tackles, three tackles for loss and one sack.

In total, Jackson had 129 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, two pass deflections and one forced fumble. Jackson set a career high in tackles in 2025 and sacks (3.5) in 2024.

As a member of the Class of 2021, Jackson was a three-star recruit out of Havana (Fla.) Gadsden County, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He was the No. 99 overall prospect in the state, the No. 79 EDGE in the class and the No. 768 overall prospect in the class.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Darrell Jackson Jr.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein broke down Jackson ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. You can read his evaluation below.

“While he’s an enormous interior presence with impressive physical features, Jackson’s inconsistencies are partially rooted in flawed fundamentals and technique,” he wrote. “He plays too upright and with inconsistent base width/block take-on, making him more easily cleared from gaps.

“He might never become a tree stump at the point, but he could see vast improvement in his shed-and-control with quicker hands, improved upper-body power and a full-time move to odd-front end. The tape is uneven with a floor of average backup, but Jackson’s size and length could be considered unmined gold by some teams.”

Zierlein projected Jackson as a fourth round pick coming into the NFL Draft. However, he did not have a direct pro comparison for the former Seminole.