The Buffalo Bills picked the fastest player from the NFL Combine in the first round. They added one of the most explosive physical specimens in the draft class in the third round.
Buffalo selected Arkansas edge rusher Landon Jackson with the 72nd overall pick.
Jackson is 6-foot-6 and 264 pounder whose wingspan is just shy of 7 feet at 83 5/8 inches. His 40.5-inch vertical jump was the best among defensive ends at the NFL Combine and he was second at the position – only to No. 17 overall pick Shemar Stewart – in the broad jump at 10 feet, 9 inches. Jackson joins Myles Garrett, Mario Williams and Stewart as the only defensive linemen to weigh at least 260 pounds and hit 40 inches in the vertical jump in NFL Combine history.
Jackson, who had 6.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons, was a second-round talent according to NFL analyst Lance Zierlein. ESPN’s Field Yates projected Jackson at No. 63 to the Kansas City Chiefs in his mock draft.
Jackson fits the mold for a Bills’ defensive end, joining 6-foot-7 Greg Rousseau, 6-foot-6 A.J. Epenesa and 6-foot-5 Joey Bosa and 6-foot-4 Michael Hoecht on the roster.
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Here is how draft experts graded the pick:
USA Today
Sean McDermott has already shown he can get the most out of a massive edge rusher with Greg Rousseau. The 6-6, 264-pound Jackson is likely too mechanical to match the pass-rush production of the former first-rounder, but he’s still a pain for offensive tackles to keep at bay given his length and power.
Grade: A-
Sporting News
Jackson is a great get for McDermott’s front after Sanders to keep up the early defensive theme of their draft. Jackson is an imposing often freakish (prospect) with his size and relentless and also some has potential to slide and disrupt inside.
Grade: A
The Athletic
One of the biggest edge prospects in the class, Jackson can play a bit high and stiff, but he’s an outstanding athlete. A very versatile defensive lineman whose production doesn’t quite match his traits, Jackson is nonetheless an exciting prospect who could be a fixture in Buffalo for a while.
Grade: B+
SB Nation
This is such a Bills pick. Jackson is a tall, strong and long defender who wins with length and motor. He also showed some explosiveness at the combine, which is a really helpful boost for his NFL outlook. I don’t know if he’ll be a star, but he’s going to be ultra reliable edge for Buffalo.
Grade: B+
33rd Team
Landon Jackson fits what the Bills want out of their strong-side ends perfectly. He’s not the most dynamic athlete and won’t total many sacks, but he’s nuanced and continues fighting. His strength at the point of attack is that of an NFL veteran.
Grade: C+
Bleacher Report
The Buffalo Bills have a type, and Arkansas’ Landon Jackson fits the bill. He’s another long and powerful edge-defender who doesn’t have the bend or flexibility to consistently threaten the edge against NFL pass protectors.
Jackson has the size (6’6″, 264 lbs), length (33¼-inch arms) and athleticism (9.78 RAS) that every NFL team wants in its defensive ends. However, he lacks consistency.
His best games often came against the best competition that he faced, which is a positive. But he’s never been a full-time dominant defender.
Jackson looked like a game-wrecker when he racked up 3.5 sacks against Alabama in 2023. Throw in last season’s two-sack performance against the Ole Miss Rebels, and that makes up 5.5 of his 13 sacks over the past two years.
Grade: C+
