Don’t Look Now, But a Vikings Large Lad is Turning into a Terror in the Trenches

LG1 Donovan Jackson appears to be a tremendous success story. Coming off a solid rookie season, is the Vikings large lad working toward a sizzling sophomore season?

In Week 1, Mr. Jackson put together an impressive effort. Nobody is mistaking the 2026 Green Packers for the 1985 Chicago Bears, especially with edge rusher Micah Parsons out due to injury. Still, though, it’s yet another sign that the young fella is growing. Seeing him continue on his current trajectory will mean that the 2025 1st-Round selection is becoming a difference maker in the trenches.

Vikings Large Lad Donovan Jackson Coming Off Sizzling Week 1

Prior to the 2026 season officially beginning, Vikings Territory ran a piece uplifting Mr. Jackson as the team’s top breakout candidate. So much of the reason why is due to him playing solid football despite the long list of hurdles he needed to clear as a rookie.

In his debut NFL season, Donovan Jackson adjusted to life as a pro after a long college run that led to winning the CFB National Championship. Note that his final collegiate season involved needing to shuffle outside to left tackle to function as an injury fill-in.

In that truncated offseason, he got chosen at No. 24 overall to become a Minnesota Viking. He then worked through injury — a wrist problem that he temporarily played through before needing surgery — and saw many of his teammates work through injury, as well. The player to his left (Christian Darrisaw) and player to his right (Ryan Kelly) both missed a lot of time.

Further complicating things for Jackson was that the quarterback play has shaky (at best). Blocking for a passer who is struggling is much more difficult than blocking for a passer who is thriving. Moreover, the lack of a run game can also make life difficult for a blocker. Offensive linemen like to fire out of their stance every so often rather than needing to continually be on their heels in pass pro.

And one more thing: OL coach Chris Kuper got shown the door following the season. Doing so evidently came due to being displeased with how the offensive lineman were playing.

— READ MORE: Former Vikings Pass Rusher Earns a Chance to Impress NFC Rival —
— READ MORE: Coach Called a “Psycho” as Heavyweight Fight Awaits —
— READ MORE: And Just Like That, The Vikings Conduct a Quartet of Roster Moves —

So, solid football should be understood as a very impressive accomplishment.

Against Green Bay, Donovan Jackson earned a 62.0 PFF grade. His 53.3 run blocking grade isn’t reason to throw a parade. His 88.4 pass blocking grade is fantastic, though. Jackson’s report card shows zero pressures, zero QB hits, and zero sacks. Neither did he commit a penalty. Pretty spiffy, right?

Remember that Jackson offered the strong play while working with a pair of passers, both of Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz.

The great task that’s before Jackson is seeing that sort of effort continue through 2026 as a whole. Indeed, that’s the great key: ongoing strong play.

Seeing a single good game arrive isn’t enough reason to insist that LG1 Donovan Jackson is working toward a breakout. What that single game helps to clarify, though, is that Jackson has long looked like a breakout candidate given the perspective we have on how he performed in 2025 alongside the sort of offseason he had in 2026.

Jackson, 23, will look to tame the Bears’ defense on Sunday, September 20th in yet another NFC North showdown. Clearing lanes for the running back while keeping the quarterback’s jersey clean is what the Vikings want out of its sophomore.

Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CT.

Source link