Cam Jackson 2025 NFL Draft: Florida DT Scouting Report
In this talented 2025 NFL Draft class, a standout defensive tackle to keep on your radar is Cam Jackson. He’s a strong and durable DT for the Florida Gators. Today, we’ll break down his NFL outlook with this in-depth expert scouting report. Additionally, we will be breaking down his strengths, areas for improvement, and his potential draft grade.
Cam Jackson 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Jackson’s journey to the SEC is a testament to perseverance and growth. A three-star recruit out of Haynesville High School, he began his collegiate career at Memphis, where he spent three seasons evolving from a special-teams contributor into a full-time starter and All-AAC honoree in 2022.
Transferring to Florida in 2023, Jackson seized the opportunity to compete against elite competition, starting all 23 games he played over two seasons with the Gators. His final year, 2024, showcased his best statistical output—37 tackles, five tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks—culminating in a standout performance against Florida State, where he notched both sacks despite suffering an injury that sidelined him for the bowl game.
Overall, Jackson is a mountain of a man. He’s 6’6” with a frame that carries his 328 pounds with surprising fluidity for his size. Additionally, his long arms (over 34 inches) and massive wingspan give him a rare physical presence in the trenches. While his weight suggests a classic nose tackle build, there’s visible room to refine his conditioning. Ultimately, shedding 10-15 pounds could unlock greater stamina and quickness without sacrificing his anchor strength.
HT: 6062
WT: 328
HAND: 948
ARM: 3418
40: 5.18
Strengths:
- Run Defense Anchor: Jackson’s sheer size and natural power make him a gap-clogging force against the run. He excels at occupying double teams, allowing linebackers to flow freely to the ball. His ability to stack and shed blockers with his upper-body strength is a consistent asset.
- Length Advantage: His long arms are a weapon, enabling him to keep offensive linemen at bay and disrupt passing lanes (evidenced by four career pass deflections). He’s a natural fit for field goal block units, a role he’s thrived in since his Memphis days.
- Play Strength: When he fires off the ball with intent, Jackson can overwhelm interior linemen with a powerful bull rush, driving them back into the pocket or collapsing running lanes.
- Durability: Jackson has started 36 games across his final three college seasons (13 at Memphis, 23 at Florida) and has proven he can handle a heavy workload.
Areas for Improvement:
- Pass Rush Limitations: Jackson’s pass rush arsenal is underdeveloped. He relies heavily on power rather than quickness or technique, lacking the twitch or hand-fighting skills to threaten quarterbacks consistently. His 2.5 sacks in 2024 were more opportunistic than
- indicative of a refined skill set.
Pad Level Issues: At 6’6”, maintaining low leverage is challenging. Too often, he rises out of his stance, allowing blockers to get under his pads and neutralize his size advantage. - Stamina Concerns: His motor runs hot in bursts but fades on long drives. Conditioning improvements are needed to sustain his effectiveness over four quarters in the NFL’s faster pace.
- Lateral Agility: While adequate for a man his size, Jackson’s lateral movement is limited, making him less effective when asked to pursue outside the tackle box or chase mobile quarterbacks.
Conclusion:
Overall, Jackson thrives as a two-down run stuffer, best utilized in a 0- or 1-technique role where his mass and length can disrupt interior blocking schemes. His 2024 tape against SEC opponents like Tennessee and Kentucky highlights his ability to hold the point of attack, often requiring multiple blockers to move him. His standout game against Florida State—where he overpowered guards to collapse the pocket—shows flashes of untapped potential as a pass rusher, though these moments are inconsistent.
He’s less effective in sub-packages or on obvious passing downs, where his lack of explosiveness off the snap and limited counter moves leave him stalled at the line. His effort is generally solid, but there are snaps where he appears gassed, standing upright and losing gap discipline late in games.
Jackson profiles as a developmental nose tackle with a clear niche: early-down run defense and special teams contributions. His size and strength will appeal to teams running 3-4 or hybrid fronts, such as the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, or Minnesota Vikings, who value big bodies in the middle. He’s not a three-down player out of the gate. However, he could carve out a role as a rotational piece while refining his technique and conditioning.
Ultimately, Jackson’s ceiling depends on coaching. With an improved pad level, a slimmer frame, and a few pass-rush moves added to his toolbox, Jackson could evolve into a reliable starter like a poor man’s Dexter Lawrence. Without that growth, he’s a depth player with situational value. Expect him to come off the board in the 4th-5th round range, likely to a team willing to invest in his raw tools. Jackson compares to Jonathan Harris (Denver Broncos) but with a higher physical ceiling.
Round Grade: 4th Round
Stats: Per Sports Reference
| Season | Team | G | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sk | PD | FR |
| 2020* | Memphis | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | Memphis | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022* | Memphis | 13 | 19 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | Florida | 11 | 17 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024* | Florida | 12 | 13 | 24 | 4 | 1.5 | 2 | 0 |
| Career | 57 | 55 | 65 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
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