2025 Chicago Bears Draft Target: Donovan Jackson

Mark Rebilas - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - Thu Feb 13 08:30:02 GMT-05:00 2025

Now that we have started discussing the Bears' offseason plans and what they must do to improve, much of that talk will hinge on the 2025 NFL draft. For the second straight season and third time in as many years, the Chicago Bears will be picking in the top 10, and Ben Johnson has a chance to leave his mark on the franchise.

While the Bears will have plenty of options with their first pick, the consensus agreement is that Chicago will likely target an offensive lineman with that pick to beef up their line. That has been this team's biggest weakness and is the main reason their offense has been lackluster the past three years.

Once you fix the offensive line, you can focus on the rest of the roster, as the Bears have the talent to make massive strides next season. While taking an offensive line in round one seems logical, it will take much more than that to fix the Bears' problems upfront. Even with Trey Smith and other high-prized guys available in free agency, look for Ryan Poles and Johnson to go offensive line heavy early and often as they look to build for the future.

One of those guys could be Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson, who could be an option for the Bears with one of their second-round picks. While not considered a first-round talent, at least not yet, Jackson is still viewed as a top-50 prospect who could rise even more depending on how his pro day goes.

For all the slack Poles has gotten for some of the picks he has taken in round one, he has done a great job finding value in the middle rounds, and Jackson would be more than just a player of value. Standing at 6-4 and 320 pounds, Jackson is not only the ideal size you look for in an NFL offensive lineman, but he is also an imposing figure for a guard and one that is tough to move.

A three-year starter for the now National-Champion Ohio State Buckeyes, Jackson has a powerful core and uses his impressive leg strength to drive his man off the line of scrimmage and control the trenches. He does that in both pass-blocking and run-blocking schemes and tends to drive players back to the second level on running plays.

Having a guy like that on offense is enormous, as the Bears were one of the worst teams in gaining yards before contact on the ground. Despite his size and overall large frame, Jackson is athletic and has no trouble getting outside to set the edge on running plays. With his strength on the inside, Jackson cannot only stick at guard in the NFL but also adapt to any offensive scheme.

One of the things that could be a concern at the next level is his overall hand placement, as he tends to play with broad hands. That leaves him open to quicker rushers getting by him, but look for him to work on that in camp. Jackson also lacks the fast recovery speed you need when you get beat despite having solid overall athletic skills.

Given how Caleb Williams plays behind the line, should the Bears draft Jackson, they would need him to recover much quicker than he does. When you look at the current status of the Bears and their guards, Nate Davis was cut midseason and is no longer with the team, while Teven Jenkins looks to be hitting the open market and, from all accounts, doesn't appear to be coming back.

That leaves not one but two massive holes to fill on the offensive line, and Jackson could be one guy to fill at least one of those holes. With Darnell Wright the only guaranteed player back from last season, should the Bears draft Jackson and another offensive lineman in round one, they will now have three core guys up front to lean on for several seasons.