Florida State football extended its NFL Draft streak to 43-straight years after defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. was selected by the New York Jets with the 103rd pick in the 4th round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Jackson Jr. spent three seasons in Tallahassee, although he had to sit out the entire regular season in 2023, and was named All-ACC Honorable Mention in 2024 and 2025. Last season, Jackson Jr. racked up 45 tackles, ranking third on the team. Jackson Jr. will most likely be the only Seminole drafted this season after only two Noles were selected a season ago. However, the defensive tackle joins his childhood friend Joshua Farmer in the NFL, after Farmer went to the New England Patriots last season.
He’ll likely compete with Harrison Phillips to start opposite T’Vondre Sweat with a revamped Jets defensive line that also features Will McDonald and No.2 overall pick David Bailey.
🍢 43 straight seasons with a #NFLDraft pick🍢 58th FSU d-lineman picked all-time🍢 303rd all-time pick from FSU🍢 5th time in the last 6 drafts the @nyjets have picked a Seminole 🔗: https://t.co/OYnehrKsja#NFLNoles | #NoleFamily pic.twitter.com/4W44PlKlzG
2025 (Redshirt Senior): Started all 12 games as defensive tackle for second consecutive season…ended collegiate career with 25 consecutive starts…career-high 45 tackles with 3.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack…ended career with 129 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, two pass breakups and one forced fumble…Alabama: one tackle…East Texas A&M: three tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack…Kent State: four tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss…Virginia: five tackles…Miami: four tackles and 1.0 tackle for loss…Pitt: three tackles…Stanford: three tackles…Wake Forest: three tackles…Clemson: three tackles…Virginia Tech: three tackles…NC State: tied career high with seven tackles…most tackles in game since 2022…Florida: six tackles in season finale.
2024 (Redshirt Junior): Started all 12 games at defensive tackle, recording 32 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one pass breakup and one forced fumble…All-ACC honorable mention…Bobby Bowden Leadership Award…season-high five tackles against North Carolina…added four stops at Miami…career-high 2.0 sacks against Hurricanes…also forced fumble at Miami…1.0 sack against UNC…split sack vs. California was 12-yard loss on fourth down as Cal was driving for potential go-ahead touchdown…multiple tackles vs. Georgia Tech, Boston College, Memphis, SMU, Clemson, Duke, Notre Dame and Florida.
2023 (Junior): Forced to sit out regular season due to NCAA transfer rules…Bill McGrotha Award…made FSU debut in Orange Bowl vs. No. 6 Georgia…recorded three tackles, including 0.5 for loss, vs. Bulldogs…redshirted 2023 season.
BEFORE FSU: Appeared in 25 collegiate games with 13 starts and recorded 49 tackles, including 4.5 for loss with 3.0 sacks, and one pass breakup…started all 12 games his sophomore year at Miami…registered 27 tackles, 4.5 for loss with 3.0 sacks, and one pass breakup…made career-high seven tackles vs. North Carolina…saw action in all 13 games with start in Pinstripe Bowl his true freshman season at Maryland and totaled 22 tackles…made season-high six tackles in 20-17 win at Illinois and matched season-high stops total in 54-10 victory vs. Virginia Tech in Pinstripe Bowl…ranked 44th among strongside defensive ends in Class of 2021 by Rivals out of Gadsden County High School…made 23 tackles, 5.0 for loss, with one fumble recovery and one pass breakup in seven games his senior year…helped Jaguars reach semifinal round of 4A state playoffs…was teammates with former FSU defensive tackle Joshua Farmer at Gadsden County.