Jackson Carman 2021 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Name: Jackson Carman

Position: Offensive Tackle

College: Clemson

Height: 6’5”

Weight: 317 lbs

Overall Rank: No. 97 overall

Position Rank: OT14

Strengths: Jackson Carman has started 27 consecutive games along the offensive line for one of the best programs in the country, including spending the 2020 season protecting the presumed number one overall pick, Trevor Lawrence. With three years of experience, Carman enters the NFL at just 21 years old and will be seen as an ascending prospect. Teams will love that he has significant on-field experience and yet still has room for growth. Carman punches like a heavyweight boxer and, when he lands flush, it can be an immediate win. He utilizes different set techniques throughout games and plays the position like a chess-match before the contact point. He has multiple wins on tape with an impressive snatch technique that can play with the balance of defenders and keep them guessing.

Weaknesses: While Carman has more than enough power in his punch, he’s too often late to let his hands go or slow when striking. He needs to improve his overall strike timing and efficiency of hand movement, including carrying them higher more often in his sets. He knows that he has significant power and looks to land the knockout punch, occasionally causing him to lunge and lean into defenders to try to initiate the fight. The leaning causes balance concerns and he simply doesn’t have the reactive athleticism to recover when he’s not in a good position. Carman struggles setting vertically against speed and doesn’t have the lateral speed to routinely reach defenders to the boundary—making him fairly scheme dependent. Additionally, his lower-half mobility is underdeveloped and he has a tendency to bend at the waist rather than the critical joints that create good overall posture on the field. 

What I Love: When timed right and landing flush, Carman has hands that will stun defenders and effectively neutralize their pass rush before they even start to execute a plan.

NFL Comparison: Ja’Wuan James

Grade: 75/100

Position Specific Traits:
(key: +, ++, +++ positive scale | -, - -, - - - negative scale)

Agility: +++
Footwork: ++
Length: +
Run Blocking: ++
Pass Blocking: +
Strength: ++