The 2025 NFL Draft is officially under a month away. In order to help you all along until draft day, I decided to start a daily prospect spotlight series to talk about some players that the Indianapolis Colts could target next month.
The players mentioned in this series will be players that I have either heard that the team is really high on or are players that just make way too much sense for the team based on fit/past draft history.
The next player up on this countdown to draft day is Georgia safety Dan Jackson.
Background
Dan Jackson is a former zero-star recruit who walked on at Georgia back in 2019. He had to fight his way up the depth chart, working on the scout team during his first two seasons with the program. He finally got an opportunity on defense back in 2021, appearing in 15 games and making four starts for one of the best teams in the nation. He would remain a key rotation player and high-level special teamer all the way up until this past season.
In 2024, as a sixth-year senior, "Dirty Dan" finally got his chance to start. He made the most of his opportunity, finishing third on the team in total tackles with 64. He also came away with two pass breakups and two interceptions on the season. He was named Third-Team All-SEC for his strong play on the year.
Following his breakout final season, Jackson earned an invite to the 2025 Reese's Senior Bowl. He was ultimatley snubbed from the NFL Combine, but teams are still interested in the former walk-on safety regardless.
Size/Testing
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 194 pounds
Arm Length: 29.78 inches
Testing Numbers: Forty Time: 4.45 seconds / 10-Yard Split: 1.54 seconds / Vertical Jump: 34.0 inches / Broad Jump: 123 inches / Short-Shuttle: 4.33 seconds / Three-Cone: 7.12 seconds
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Standout Traits on Film
Jackson is exactly what someone would expect out of a former walk-on at Georgia who eventually earned a scholarship and playing time on defense. He may not be the greatest athlete in the world or have fantastic size, but he is a smart player who throws his body around on defense. He flies downhill like a missile and has some outstanding flashes when running the alley.
His coverage instincts are actually solid as well, he just isn't fluid enough to always make a play on the ball. He could be an interesting linebacker conversion type, but his overall measurables are way too small, at the moment, to really consider that. Regardless, Jackson should be able to carve out a long career as a special teams player in the NFL.
The Colts lost Trevor Denbow to a devastating injury last season and he is currently still unsigned by the team. With his special teams role on the team currently open, a player like Jackson could slide in quite easily. He brings the same intensity that Denbow brought the past few years, and even has a bit more athletic upside.
The Colts could also use his as a sub-package player in a pinch on passing downs. As I mentioned above, Jackson's feel in coverage is quite strong, so maybe limiting him to specific roles or assignments could work at the NFL level. Aside from all that, simply adding a player with Jackson's fire and drive could be a good thing for the Colts' locker room.
Colts' Interest
Jackson is the type of player that Chris Ballard dreams about in the draft process. A former walk-on who had to fight his way up to playing time on one of the best teams in the country; how could Ballard resist? Snarky comments aside, I have heard that the Colts really like Jackson as a day-three player in this draft.
With the Denbow injury and Jackson's underrated potential as a sub-package player, he does make a ton of sense for this team later in the draft. He could even outplay his draft position from day one, and I'd expect him to instantly be one of the better special teams players in the league this upcoming season.
The 2025 Indy Draft Guide is officially released! 225+ in-depth scouting reports, plus how each player fits the Indianapolis Colts.
