Jackson Carman is a huge left tackle that has protected Trevor Lawrence‘s blindside for the last two years. As soon as you watch Carman play, you notice his serious power. At 325 pounds, Carman can put guys through the floor. For his weight, he gets out into space really nicely and it’s super fun to watch. Carman’s draft stock at this moment is unknown because of some issues in his play. He struggles defending speed rusher, and many have suggested that he switch to guard in the NFL.
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Player Bio
Name: Jackson Carman
Jersey: #79
Position: Offensive Tackle
School: Clemson
Class: Junior
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 325 lbs
Pass Blocking (6.75/10)
A very experienced lineman, Carman has had several reps in pass protection. He’s fared well for the most part but does struggle from time to time. His struggles are seen primarily against speed rushers. He doesn’t do well compensating for a rusher with good bend and often gets beat in this area. When he’s facing an edge rusher with not as much speed, he can dominate. His power really helps him here and he shows a pretty solid technique.
Run Blocking (9.25/10)
Carman is the perfect player to run behind. His blend of athleticism and power dominates his initial defender and allows him to burst right into the second level. Carman’s size lets him set the edge nicely and allows the ball carrier to take to the outside well. The only real weakness here is that he can be disengaged very quickly. Defensive ends have been able to get off quickly and get to the ball carrier, but it’s not very common.
Technique (12.5/15)
Carman is a very technically gifted offensive lineman. He always has his feet moving and demonstrates very good overall footwork. Carman needs to work on getting a bit lower. He stays far too straight up which gets him beat. Carman has good hand technique and like his feet, constantly has them moving. He tends to take very nice angles on rushers that are a tad on the slower, side, but as mentioned earlier, struggles with angles of speed rushers. This is a very good area for Carman and he’s certainly one of the better technical linemen in this class.
Athleticism (9/10)
For his size, Carman is a great athlete. Clemson used him out in space all the time, taking advantage of his athleticism. He can be used as the primary blocker in the screen game and he’s constantly in the second level. The concern is in the second level. As mentioned, Carman is great to get out there but tends to slow down continuously as he’s going. His initial burst should compensate for this most of the time, however. If he does transition to guard in the NFL, he could be a great blocker to use in concepts that require him to pull and move quite a bit from the interior.
Hands (8.5/10)
Carman has shown outstanding hand usage throughout his career. The worrying issue is getting disengaged quickly, which is where he loses his most points. His punch is exceptional, one of the best in this year’s class. He gets his hands on guys as soon as he gets into his pass protection and starts working. He needs to work on his placement with his hands as well. The placement has gotten better throughout the years, but it’s still not up to NFL caliber.
Strength (9.25/10)
There’s no real record of bench press reps from late, but Carman certainly shows strength on the field. He reportedly increased his max bench press last offseason by 100 pounds, and then carried it into his play. His play strength is exceptional and he knows exactly how to use it. He’s not going to get outmuscled by power rushers and he mauls smaller defenders out in space.
Balance (7.5/10)
Carman’s balance is solid; nothing to rave about here. He’s stayed on his feet pretty well but has been knocked back a few times. When he plays without much bend, he can really struggle in the balance area. He’ll need to stop playing more upright to benefit not only his balance but all of his overall play.
Versatility (8.5/10)
While there’s no real showing of Carman playing guard, it’s probably the best place for him in the league. He displays the power game purely and will be able to pull and work in the counter game very nicely. His difficulties against speed rushers are real, thus a transition to guard could be the best move for his career.
Length (4/5)
Carman has good, not great, length. He uses it very well and keeps his defenders relatively far away. He shows a good IQ in regards to the depth at which he should keep the defender. Some of the longer tackles in this class would get more points than Carman does, but length won’t be an issue in the NFL.
Competitive Toughness (5/5)
Carman just loves football. At the beginning of the Clemson games, he always gets the crowd going by having some antics before doing the famed hill run. On the field, he’s constantly looking to hit a guy and likes to finish his blocks.
Injury History (4/5)
Carman had back surgery in January which caused him to miss his pro day. He did have a private workout on April 15th where he looked fluid and no real signs of injury. He should be fully healed by training camps, but a back injury is always a tad bit concerning no matter what it is.
Player Summary
Carman is an offensive lineman with an interesting career ahead of him. His success in the NFL all depends on how teams decide to use him. He’s got some serious talent and is one of the best tackles to set up the run behind in this draft. Carman is almost certain to go on day two of the draft and could make a serious run to start right away, depending on where he ends up.
Player Grade (84.25/100): Early-Second Round
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