INDIANAPOLIS -- Though unlikely, there is a chance new Browns GM Andrew Berry elects to trade out of No. 10 come April 23 and move back in the 2020 NFL Draft. Berry said Tuesday he’d be silly not to make a trade that would better his club.
“Philosophically I’m really down to acquiring the best players possible and the best fits for our organization,” Berry said. “For me, not necessarily. For me, we’re going to be strategic and we’re going to be thoughtful with any decision that we would make on the board. That doesn’t mean it’s going to hamstring us just in moving one direction.”
He isn’t committing to anything, nor should he. But just as Browns officials are getting to know all the tackles at the combine, so should Browns fans just in case Cleveland does trade down.
One prospect who would likely be available if Berry acquired a later first-round pick or an early second rounder is USC tackle Austin Jackson. The 6-6 lineman features an 82-inch wingspan and the raw athleticism NFL coaches believe they can maximize.
Let’s highlight a few things we learned about Jackson at the combine on Wednesday.
1) He saved his sister’s life by being her bone marrow donor
One of the knocks on Jackson is that he is too light to block NFL pass rushers. Though true because he played his junior season at under 315 pounds, Jackson has great reason for his lighter weight.
“My sister has a rare blood disorder which causes your body not to produce red blood cells,” he said. “She’s had it since she was born. The procedure I did, the bone marrow transplant, allows her body to accept my blood cells. Thank God we were a perfect match through blood testing. That allowed her to fully restart her system and her body is now producing red blood cells.”
Jackson’s sister is healthy and he glistens with pride talking about his younger sibling. Her successes and overall well-being bring him comfort and joy. His smile was never bigger on Wednesday.
But helping his sister kept him out of the weight room this past summer.
“It was a long process,” he said. “I had to take the whole offseason to go home and be with her and train on my own. I couldn’t afford to get sick. Otherwise the procedure would have been prolonged. I battled back through fall camp and through the season to gain my strength back.”
His size is returning. At the combine, Jackson weighed in at 322 pounds.
2) His grandfather taught him how to be a professional
Jackson’s grandpa, Melvin Jackson, played for the Green Bay Packers and Jackson credited his grandfather for teaching him about hard work and what it takes to reach the NFL.
“It’s a business. You have to show up every day, work to get better,” he said. "There’s some technique stuff he’s showed me, but football in the ’70s is a lot different than football now. But the biggest thing he’s taught me is show up every day, work hard, and make the most for yourself."
Jackson acknowledged how different football is now compared to when his grandfather played. But he alluded to how practices were more difficult back in the ’70s, mentioning how three-a-days are a thing of the past but must have been very challenging.
3) He believes his natural gifts and work ethic set him apart
In a class stacked with talented tackles, Jackson managing to separate from the pack and breaking into a consensus first-round pick could be difficult. Tackles Andrew Thomas, Tristan Wirfs, Jedrick Wills and Mekhi Becton are the top four prospects in their class currently.
The next tier is just as deep and where Jackson resides. There is a lot of time between now and the draft, but Jackson will need to impress in order to be selected before any of those four. Even being the fifth or sixth tackle selected is far from a lock.
Jackson believes he can separate himself by continuing to show teams who he truly is while honing his gifts.
“My natural length and athleticism,” Jackson said. “I have a work ethic like any other. I see what needs to be fixed within myself and I’m able to correct it and improve. ... Work ethic for sure. Outside of the on-field measurables, I’d say I’m the hardest worker. Along with my natural talents.”
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