EAGAN, Minnesota — The Minnesota Vikings bolstered their offensive line by selecting Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson.
The 22-year-old lineman can play multiple positions, but he will most likely compete with Blake Brandel for the starting left guard position. Last year, he started five games at left guard and nine at left tackle.
The 6-foot-4, 315-pound Jackson was the third guard selected, trailing Alabama’s Tyler Booker at No. 12 and North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel at No. 18. He was a second-team Associated Press All-American for the national champion Buckeyes.
“He has size. He has length. “He’s got power,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell stated. “A lot of things that we’re very excited about.”
Jackson started three years at left guard before switching to left tackle midway through his senior season due to an injury at the position.
The Vikings aggressively restructured the offensive line in the early stages of free agency, signing right guard Will Fries and center Ryan Kelly, both of whom played for Indianapolis last season. Brandel will most likely face competition after starting every game last season for the Vikings.
The timing couldn’t be better, with the offense about to be handed over to quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who was unable to play as a rookie last season due to a preseason knee injury.
The Vikings have only three picks left in the draft: one in the third round on Friday and one each in the fifth and seventh rounds on Saturday.
Because of this, and their lack of a clear need, unlike last year when they drafted McCarthy, they were a prime candidate to drop down.
The New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons traded for picks 25 and 26, respectively, but general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said the Vikings were too enamored with Jackson to be tempted to slide down with the risk he’d go elsewhere.
For years, tackles were the highest-paid positions on the line, but guards are catching up in importance — and salary.
“I think you’ve seen the market value that’s been assigned to it,” Adofo-Mensah said.