The 2026 NFL scouting combine is taking place Feb. 23 through March 2 and will feature 319 of the top prospects in this year's draft. It should not be surprising that a team that has won only seven games in the last two years doesn't have a the kind of battery of talent it once proudly sent to the NFL.

That team is Florida State, and the sole player invited to represent the Noles at the combine is senior defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr.

Jackson is a mammoth of a man standing at 6-foot-5 and 341 pounds. After back-to-back seasons as an honorable mention All-ACC defender, Jackson is listed as one of the top lineman heading into the draft.

From tiny Havana, Florida, roughly 12 miles south of the Georgia state line in the Florida panhandle, Jackson played his freshman year with the Maryland Terps in 2021. He then transferred to Miami for one season, before spending the last three seasons at Florida State. Over his college career he amassed 127 tackles (52 solo), and 7.5 sacks.

Players like Jackson who typically play over the center/guard are not going to accumulate much pressure on the quarterback, as they are usually double-teamed. Jackson’s value to any NFL team will be in his ability to use his size and strength to control the line of scrimmage, and in taking on double teams, which frees up other players to stop the run and pressure the passer. Jackson, who received a late invitation to this year's Senior Bowl following a dominant performance at the East-West Shrine Game, stated that his goal in these all-star games was to show NFL teams that he can also rush the passer. 

Former NFL general manager Ran Carthon believes Jackson's bull-rush is almost unstoppable, but thinks the 22-year-old can be indecisive, and has too many moments within the game where he’s missing in action. Carthon, the former director of player personnel and most recently the GM for the Tennessee Titans, also said he sees Jackson as a Day 2 draft pick. 

NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein gives Jackson a draft grade of 6.0, which equates him to a NFL backup. Zierlein likes Jackson's size and power, but sees him as a project. Zierlein notes that Jackson’s lack of technique is the reason he can sometimes get blown off of the ball.

In the NFL poor technique by a defensive lineman on a run play allows guys like Saquon Barkley to break off 80-yard runs. Good technique matters, especially at the point of attack.

The Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Cater and Jackson are about the same size. Carter is a great example of a big DL that has had a major impact at the line of scrimmage, with great technique for a big man. Carter is the type of impact player that NFL teams are looking for at that size.

NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah sees big upside with Jackson. Jeremiah has Jackson listed among the top-50 players in the draft, and sees him as a fourth-round pick. Jeremiah believes Jackson’s success  in the all-star games have bolstered his stock, and he wouldn't be surprised if this "sleeper" was drafted much higher than expected.

Jackson is a wild card -- some of the reports make him seem too raw to ever have real impact, while others see him as a player who can have significant impact. The NFL is a league of players who are technicians when it comes to their craft. Going to an organization with a great defensive line coach who can train raw talent will be essential for Jackson's success. His career production, plus size, plus performance in the recent all-star games make me believe Jackson will get drafted no later than the third round.

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