Last offseason, Donovan Jackson and many of his classmates chose to return to Ohio State for their senior season. Those decisions paid off, as the Buckeyes won the national championship in January.
There were even more rewards for Jackson, who used his final year of eligibility to showcase his versatility. Last month, Jackson was selected No. 24 overall by the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL Draft. He was the second Scarlet and Gray player chosen in the draft and the first Ohio State offensive lineman off the board.
On Thursday, Jackson officially became a Buckeye by signing his rookie contract with Minnesota. According to Spotrac, Jackson secured a four-year deal with a team option for a fifth year, valued at $17.177 million, including a $9.132 million signing bonus.
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Jackson was a five-star prospect coming out of Episcopal High School in Bellaire, Texas, in the 2021 recruiting class. He was the country's top-ranked interior offensive lineman, the No. 2 player from his home state and the No. 7 overall prospect in the class, according to the 247Sports rankings. Jackson had scholarship offers from more than 30 programs across the country, including Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M but committed to Ohio State on Jan. 8, 2020.
As a freshman in 2021, Jackson played in 10 games on the offensive line but recorded only 103 snaps as a backup to Paris Johnson Jr. at right guard. He also contributed to special teams, adding 97 extra snaps on both the field goal and extra point units.
The next season, Jackson moved into a starting role, replacing Thayer Munford as the Buckeyes' left guard. He played 827 snaps on offense, tying with Johnson and center Luke Wypler for the most on the team. Jackson was part of an offensive line unit that allowed the sixth-fewest tackles for loss in the nation (50.0) and the seventh-fewest sacks (12.0), contributing to a Scarlet and Gray offense that ranked No. 9 nationally in total offense (490.7 yards per game) and No. 2 in scoring (44.2 points per game). After the season, Jackson was named first-team All-Big Ten by the conference's media and second-team by the coaches.
As a junior in 2023, Jackson once again started at left guard for Ohio State and was one of only two offensive linemen, including Jones, to return as starters. The Buckeyes' offensive line encountered struggles early in the year as it integrated three new players but rebounded well as the season progressed. Jackson played a key role in a group that blocked for an offense that ranked No. 35 in yards per game (425) and No. 32 in points per game (32.8), despite working with a new quarterback. At the end of the regular season, Jackson earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and media.
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After missing the first two games of his senior season due to a preseason injury, Jackson returned as the Scarlet and Gray's starting left guard. He remained in that position until November when, following injuries to tackles Josh Simmons and Zen Michalski, Jackson moved to left tackle, starting against Penn State and matching up with Abdul Carter, the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Jackson stayed at left tackle for the rest of the year, helping Ohio State navigate the 12-team College Football Playoff and win a national championship.
With his contract signed, Jackson can now concentrate on starting his NFL career and securing a position on the offensive line with the Vikings.