Don’t let the fact that Jackson is one of the youngest players in this draft fool you as he is the most well rounded big man in this draft. He is also one of the safest picks as at the very worst he will be a rotation player and at best a longtime, impactful starter. Any other year Jackson would likely be in the conversation as the top overall pick but due to this year’s depth at the top of the draft he will likely go in the three to six range, I currently have him going third overall. After just one year at Michigan State, the freshman center declared for the draft. For much of the year, Jackson was hindered by being forced to play out of position at the four instead of the five. The times when Michigan State was really able to dominate teams was when he was at the five and able to dominate the lane on his own at both ends of the floor. Jackson is a much better defender than Ayton and has a much higher skill set on the offensive end than Bamba. In his one year, he has shown his defensive prowess as well as his offensive versatility that will make him one of the top picks in this year’s draft. After an early tournament exit, I guess March Tom Izzo isn’t as much of a thing as it used to be, fans missed out on being able to see what makes Jackson such an intriguing prospect. So since many of you were robbed of viewing his impressive talents, let me enlighten you.

Strength: Shot Blocking

There were few players in the country better than Jackson this season at blocking shots as he ranked seventh with 3.03 blocks per game. He also blocked 14.6 percent of opponents shots which ranked second in the country. Jackson stands at 6’11” with a 7’4” wingspan which allows him to not just contest shots but completely turn them away. While there were times where he would get caught too easily on pump fakes, he more often ended up turning the opponent away and ruining their possession.

One of the most important traits for rim protectors is their timing. This is vital when coming from the weak side. If timed poorly the block attempt will end up in a foul or a miss that the opponent is easily able to get an offensive put-back on. When timed correctly though, these end up in devastating blocks that can lead to fast breaks. The below clip is a great example of the exquisite timing that Jackson has when contesting shots. As Allen drives, Jackson stays on Bagley because he knows his length will allow him to contest if needed. Jackson then detaches from Bagley as Allen starts his takeoff for the layup to contest and force a very difficult shot attempt. Bagley is a smart player so he rotates and puts himself in position for the offensive rebound. As this is happening, Jackson keeps his eye on the ball and times his takeoff with Bagley’s which results in a blocked shot and fast break opportunity.

While his weak-side help is important, it isn’t what makes Jackson a good shot blocker. There are plenty of players in the league who have highlight blocks but are actually questionable defenders, for example, Hasan Whiteside and Karl-Anthony Towns. Jackson is able to use his length and athleticism to contest and block shots while guys are driving at him or stepping back for jump shots. The below clips will illustrate how Jackson is able to stay with the opponent and completely deter their shot after they make a move to score.

Weakness: Strength

Like all things, this is obviously in comparison to the NBA so calm those Twitter fingers. Compared to other big men like DeAndre Ayton or Robert Williams, Jackson needs to add a lot of muscle. His lack of strength leads to some issues on both ends of the floor. On defense, stronger opponents have been able to move him in the post and finish through him. He hasn’t been able to do a great job of impeding opponent’s ability to gain position in the post. On offense, this frequently led to his inability to finish through contact. Despite his size and athleticism, his lack of strength was integral in his inconsistent rebounding.

Right now Jackson has a more slender frame than what would be preferred, notice how I said right now? At just 18 and a half years old, Jackson has the frame and time to add plenty of muscle as he progresses. Early in his career, Jackson will likely get pushed around. It will be important for him to add muscle as long as it is progressive and not a shock to his body. If he adds too much too quickly, it poses the risk of injury like we saw with Ben Simmons. Jackson is extremely young so the expectation is that this will not be a long-term issue.

Strength: Pick-and-Roll Defense

The pick-and-roll is an integral part of all NBA offenses. We are seeing it run more than ever so teams can manipulate the mismatches. Big men who struggle in pick-and-roll defense are seeing their minutes drop across the board and especially in crunch time minutes. Jackson’s high level of awareness, basketball IQ, and footwork make him a very valuable defender on the perimeter. He does a great job of reading the situation and reacting accordingly. When opponents get switched onto him it isn’t a disaster like it is for guys like Enes Kanter and Jahlil Okafor, sorry guys but you came around about 20 years too late.

When Jackson gets switched in pick-and-roll situations it often turns into a worse matchup for the opponent. His footwork allows him to keep up with the quicker guards and his length refuses to allow any separation the opponent tries to make. Even when the quicker opponent is able to get by Jackson, his long arms and leaping ability are still able to alter the shot attempt. Even though it is a great tool to have, switching all pick-and-rolls isn’t always the best decision. Jackson does a great job of hedging the screen to allow his teammate to recover. His athleticism then allows him to recover and not allow an easy pass to the rolling big man.

Weakness: Offensive Creativity

Even though the pure post game is a dying art, it is still an important tool for centers to have. Jackson’s post game is very raw and lacks much if any creativity. His fakes are half-hearted and easy to read. Defenders are able to keep him in front of him and easily challenge his shots. His size and athleticism can often lead to baskets but they don’t come easy. He doesn’t do a great job of creating space or getting the defender off balance. Despite being extremely young it is worrisome that it will be quite a while before he can be relied upon to score in the post.

As the stretch big man role continues to grow, so does the need for perimeter ball handling from the big men. Jackson struggles taking care of the ball when pressed and has very little ability to create anything off the dribble. He can succeed when he is allowed a straight line drive but once he is forced to improvise is when the trouble arises. His sloppy ball handling and decision making will need to improve if he wants to truly develop into a stretch five role.

Strength: Offensive Versatility

I promise I’m not contradicting myself based on the previous paragraphs. These are different aspects, just hear me out. While Jackson doesn’t yet possess the offensive creativity and playmaking of players like DeAndre Ayton, he does have the ability to score in a myriad of ways and open up the floor for his teammates. Jackson showed off this year his ability to be the stretch five that is so coveted by NBA teams as he shot 39.6 percent from three this year.

He showed that he can score in the paint off of dunks, shooting from behind the arc, or manipulating the pick-and-roll. His best opportunities came from running the pick-and-roll as he would slide out for open catch-and-shoot threes or cut to the hoop for a thunderous dunk. He doesn’t need to be the focal point of an offense but can be a vital part. He can score from cutting off the ball or off a well-earned tip in. He needs to improve his shot mechanics slightly as his release is a bit slow and lower than ideal but he has a strong base and showed that he can make an impact from all three levels.

Outlook

In the latest mock draft, I have Jackson going third overall. He won’t average 20 points per game but he won’t need to. His impact will come on defense while providing some extra weapons on offense. There aren’t many players that possess the tools that he does on both ends of the floor which makes any comparison flawed. He projects as a well-rounded big man who will be a force on defense. At the very worst he will become a solid rotation player but has the ceiling of a multi All-NBA Defensive Team candidate. Jackson has the potential to not only be one of the safest picks in this draft but also one of the best.