Vikings Rookie Was Told Not to Play. He Did It Anyway.
Ahead of April’s draft, nobody really knew what the Minnesota Vikings would do in the first round. The one valuable pick (the second-rounder was part of the Dallas Turner sweepstakes) could’ve been used to bolster the secondary or either line, with running back being rumored as well.
Vikings Rookie Was Told Not to Play. He Did It Anyway.
Ultimately, the front office decided to complete the offensive line overhaul and hire Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson, pairing him with free agent acquisitions Will Fries and Ryan Kelly. Of course, bookend tackles Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw would complete the unit.
As always with draft decisions, it’s fair to argue whether that was the right call or not, but through his first three games, Jackson has been a promising player. Unfortunately, Jackson missed the last two games due to a surprise wrist surgery.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell announced the procedure after the Bengals game. Jackson had injured his arm prior to that game, but decided to play through it.
This week, he was available to the media, and he was asked about the injury.
“Couldn’t get any worse, that was my mindset,” Jackson claimed on Monday. “I was told that, yeah, it was a significant injury in terms of wrists, but they said, ‘Well, if you brace it up, you won’t have to get surgery at least for like another week.’ So I was like, ‘Oh, so I can play the game?’ They’re like, ‘Well, we don’t recommend it.’ I was like, ‘No, you said another week. I’ll be fine.’ So, played the game, did what I could to the best of my abilities, and then I was on a plane that same night.”
Impressive mindset, and he even played a solid football game, allowing only one QB pressure on 28 dropbacks, according to PFF. The Vikings pulled most of their starters in the fourth quarter as they were blowing out the Bengals.
Jackson then hopped on a plane and had wrist surgery performed in Los Angeles. He missed the two games in Dublin and London.
“It feels pretty good,” Jackson noted on his wrist. “It’s just getting out here, gaining confidence in it. The training staff did an amazing job, especially over the bye week, even overseas with the facilities we had, trying to get it right, trying to get the inflammation down. I’m just out here trying to strike and make sure it feels good.”
On Monday, O’Connell announced that Jackson would return to practice this week. It remains to be seen whether he can be available for Sunday’s showdown against the Eagles and their strong defensive line. In Week 5, the Vikings were forced to slide undrafted rookie Joe Huber into the starting lineup. Jackson would certainly be an upgrade if healthy.
About his availability, the first-rounder said, “We’re gonna prepare accordingly. Though it is repaired, still have to take precautions with it. As long as I have certain mobility (with the wrist) and certain mobility in my fingers as well, then I’ll be alright.”
His toughness and his team-first mindset were both positives in his pre-draft scouting report. Last year, Jackson moved from his usual guard spot to left tackle following teammate Josh Simmons’ knee injury. That brought significant risk for his draft status, but he still made the move to help his Buckeyes secure a national title.
Jackson, 22, is an easy guy to root for. One thing is clear: if there’s any chance he can play on Sunday, he will play.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.