Austin Jackson (American football) facts for kids
Jackson while playing for USC in 2019
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| No. 73 – Miami Dolphins | |||||
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| Position: | Offensive tackle | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | August 11, 1999 Sacramento, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 315 lb (143 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | North Canyon (Phoenix, Arizona) |
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| College: | USC (2017–2019) | ||||
| NFL Draft: | 2020 / Round: 1 / Pick: 18 | ||||
| Career history | |||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||
Austin Jackson, born on August 11, 1999, is an American professional football player. He plays as an offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football at the University of Southern California (USC). The Dolphins chose him in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.
Early Life and High School
Austin Jackson grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. He went to North Canyon High School. There, he was a star player on the football team. He played both offense and defense. Besides football, he also played basketball and was on the track and field team.
When he was a senior, Austin was considered one of the best high school football players in Arizona. Many colleges wanted him to play for them. He decided to play college football at the University of Southern California (USC).
College Football Career
Austin started his college career at USC in 2017. As a freshman, he played in all 14 games. He was a backup offensive lineman and also played on special teams. He even blocked a kick in a game against Colorado.
In his second year, Austin became the starting left tackle for USC. He started all 12 games that season.
Before his junior year, Austin had surgery to help his younger sister. He donated bone marrow to her because she had a rare blood condition called Diamond–Blackfan anemia. Even after this surgery, he worked hard to get back in shape. He was ready to start the season as USC's left tackle.
In 2019, during his junior year, Austin played very well. He was even named the Pac-12 Conference Offensive Lineman of the Week once. This was after a great game against Stanford where he helped his team win. At the end of that season, he was named first-team All-Pac-12. After his junior year, Austin decided to enter the 2020 NFL draft instead of playing his senior year. He played in all 39 of USC's games during his college time, starting 25 of them.
Professional NFL Career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | Wonderlic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 4+7⁄8 in (1.95 m) |
322 lb (146 kg) |
34+1⁄8 in (0.87 m) |
10+1⁄4 in (0.26 m) |
5.07 s | 1.73 s | 2.92 s | 7.95 s | 31.0 in (0.79 m) |
9 ft 7 in (2.92 m) |
27 reps | 25 | |
| All values from NFL Combine | ||||||||||||
The Miami Dolphins picked Austin Jackson in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft. He was the 18th player chosen overall. He made his NFL debut on September 13, 2020. He started as the left tackle in the Dolphins' first game against the New England Patriots.
During his first season, Austin had some injuries. He was placed on injured reserve in October 2020 because of a foot injury. He returned to play in November. In 2022, he started as the Dolphins' right tackle. He got an ankle injury in Week 1 and was placed on injured reserve again. He returned in November but was placed back on injured reserve in December.
In 2023, Austin returned as the Dolphins' right tackle. He played every game, protecting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Because of his strong performance, he signed a new contract with the Dolphins for three more years.
In 2024, Austin started 8 games for the Dolphins. He also recovered one fumble. However, on November 12, 2024, it was announced that he would miss the rest of the season due to knee surgery.
Personal Life
Austin Jackson comes from a family of football players. His grandfather, Melvin Jackson, also played offensive line at USC. He even played in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers.
In the summer of 2019, Austin showed how much he cares for his family. He donated bone marrow to his younger sister, Autumn. She had a rare form of anemia, and his donation helped her.
Austin is currently dating McKayla Rain. They have one son together, who was born in 2023.
