Newest Vikings Player Already Making Doubters ‘Eat Their Words’

 
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The Minnesota Vikings have a brand new player that's been getting some criticism, but he's already proving those critics wrong.
The Minnesota Vikings enjoyed a solid draft, although a few of their picks made some observers question their moves. Of course, any NFL team is going to get at least some criticism after the draft, because everyone has their own idea of what players and positions are most critical to each roster.

Now, the Vikings are getting to know their newest players before the 2025-26 season kicks in, and that means learning about these rookies’ strengths and weaknesses. One rookie who drew a bit of criticism early on is showing the doubters who’s boss and displaying some impressive moves this summer.

 
Minnesota Vikings Got a Winner in Rookie
The Minnesota Vikings made some choice moves during the 2025 NFL draft, and they had five picks, including one in the first, third, fifth rounds and two in the sixth round.

The Vikings used their No. 24 overall pick on Ohio State offensive lineman Donovan Jackson, and at the time, it cause a bit of a stir. Some weren’t happy with the move, but he’s already proving his value. There are always questions about a first-round pick, too, because it’s important to get the best that high up in the draft.

In a feature for The Vikings Age, Mike Luciano makes the obversation that “so far, Jackson has been making the haters eat their words.” He adds that Jackson “has taken advantage of injuries to earn a good chunk of first-team reps.”

Now, Jackson is doing so well, that he’s being predicted to be a starter his rookie season. Kevin Seifert of ESPN notes that there’s “every reason to believe Jackson has the inside track to emerge from training camp” as a starter. It’s really impressive to see Seifert already making that observation about Jackson, and it shows that the coaching staff is impressed with him and ready to give him veteran-level responsibilities.

Luciano echoes the idea of the coaching staff already being onboard, stating that “the coaches aren’t making any declarative statements so far, but they sound impressed with Jackson.” He also says that “Jackson should be an immediate improvement as a run-blocker, even if there are some questions about his overall athletic ability when dropping into true pass sets. Playing inside as a guard might help mitigate those concerns and make him a quality starter relatively early in his career.”

 
Newest Viking is a ‘Guard Prototype’
Jackson’s 2025 NFL draft profile notes that some of his strengths are being a “guard prototype with thick chest, broad hips, long arms and big hands.” He’s also “able to punch and stay clinched from a distance” and “uses core power, hip flexion and hand resets to thwart bull rush.”

“There’s nothing better for a young quarterback than a solid offensive line,” Luciano states, “and a strong showing in the early going from Jackson could be all that O’Connell needs to see to thrust him right into the starting lineup.”

At this point, there’s really no reason to believe that Jackson won’t start in 2025, and that right there proves that he was a smart pick for the Vikings. Minnesota’s offensive line is going to be stacked and filled with new players in 2025, so the NFC North better watch out.
Anne Erickson is an award-winning reporter for Heavy Sports covering the NFL, NBA and college football. Anne Erickson has years of experience covering the NFL and additional sports, and her work has been published via ESPN, Fox Sports and more. She has interviewed some of the biggest names in sports, including Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Erickson also hosts several podcasts and is a Detroit-based radio host. More about Anne Erickson