As far as the bright lights accompanying the next level, Jackson supplied a good reason why he’s unfazed.
“I [went] against great guys every day who are currently still in this draft and hopefully, you know, they get picked where they, God willing, where they want to be,” Jackson said in reference to Ohio State preparing him for the NFL. “But in terms of all that stress, man, Coach [Ryan] Day always said, ‘Pressure is always a privilege.’ People watch, and they expect things from you, and that’s what [creates] pressure. But if you come in prepared, if you come in every day – ready to go – then pressure doesn’t happen.”
From his championship performance and character, to his strong support staff and selflessness, it’s easily understood a day after standing pat and making its selection at No. 24 why Minnesota must be feeling optimistic about adding Jackson to its culture of tough, smart players who love football.
“It’s funny, the draft starts, and there’s all these names on the wall and endless possibilities, and then they start [coming off the board],” said O’Connell, recalling his emotion in the moment. “And it seems like those 10 minutes go by really fast, and there’s another one, and there’s another one, and you just kind of get a picture, you know, whether it’s five, 10, 15 picks out of what it might look like at 24.
“I was very, very excited to see Donovan still available when our number came up,” O’Connell concluded.