Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson had a breakout 2023 campaign that won him the Rimington Trophy. Here is everything to know about his journey to the NFL Draft.
Where Did Jackson Powers-Johnson’s Football Career Start?
Powers-Johnson was born Jan. 23, 2003, and attended Corner Canyon High School in Draper, Utah. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines in high school. He was selected to play in the 2021 Under Armour All-America Game and the 2021 Polynesian Bowl.
Powers-Johnson finished his high school career with 124 tackles (42 solo), 20 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, seven hurries, two interceptions, eight passes deflected, and a forced fumble.
He helped lead the team to three straight state championships, including back-to-back 6A state championships in 2019 and 2020 and a 5A state title in 2018. The team finished the 2017 season as the state runner-up.
In four years, Powers-Johnson helped Corner Canyon achieve a 51-1 record.
Revisiting Powers-Johnson’s College Career
Powers-Johnson was a four-star recruit out of high school and committed to the University of Oregon.
As a true freshman in 2021, Powers-Johnson played in all 11 games. He provided depth on the offensive line and showed a willingness to help at defensive tackle when the team thinned out late in the year. He also played in the Valero Alamo Bowl. Powers-Johnson played 207 total snaps, with 126 on offense, 50 on special teams, and 31 on defense.
In 2022, Powers-Johnson became a primary reserve on the offensive line, logging snaps at right guard, center, left guard, and right tackle. He played in 12 of Oregon’s 13 games, making his first career start at right guard in Oregon’s win over No. 10 Utah. He was a key contributor to an Oregon offensive line that led the nation with just five sacks allowed.
Powers-Johnson became the Ducks’ full-time starting center in 2023 and ran away with the role. Powers-Johnson’s sweeping success in 2023, as just a 20-year-old true junior, was extremely impressive.
— go to ➡️ collegefootballnetwork.com (@PickettsPool) September 17, 2023
Powers-Johnson started the first 13 games of the season for the Ducks at center before opting out of the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl to prepare for the NFL Draft. He led all FBS centers in overall (84.3) and run-blocking (85.2) grades by Pro Football Focus while ranking second in pass-blocking grade (90.6).
Powers-Johnson allowed just one pressure and zero sacks in 471 pass-blocking opportunities, leading an Oregon offensive line that led the nation with just five sacks allowed for the second year in a row.
Powers-Johnson’s Potential In the NFL
Pro Football Network draft analyst Ian Cummings said Powers-Johnson is the best “pure center” prospect on his rankings, slightly edging out players like Zach Frazier and Sedrick Van Pran.
“The 21-year-old already looks and feels like a high-level NFL starter at the fulcrum,” Cummings wrote. “His composite profile helped him win the Rimington Trophy in 2023, and that same profile should help him become an impact NFL starter early in his career.”
MORE: Ian Cummings’ Full Scouting Profile of Jackson Powers-Johnson
Some of Powers-Johnson’s strengths, according to Cummings, include sporting a strong, dense, and well-leveraged frame with great mass and being a quick accelerator both laterally and vertically.
Highlights, Records, and More
Powers-Johnson became the first Duck and the first Pac-12 player ever to win the Rimington Trophy as the nation’s best center.
In his final year with Oregon, Powers-Johnson was also the fifth unanimous All-American in program history, earning first-team honors from the AFCA, Associated Press, FWAA, Sporting News, and Walter Camp.
Powers-Johnson was also an Outland Trophy semifinalist and two-time Pac-12 Offensive Lineman of the Week.
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