Going into the Senior Bowl, it was no surprise Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears had their eyes on University of Oregon center, Jackson Powers-Johnson. The Bears have a massive need at center, and prior to any practices in Mobile, Powers-Johnson was viewed as one of the top centers.
After two days of practice, it's safe to say his performance in Mobile, AL, certainly helped.
The Chicago Bears had a front-row seat to Jackson Powers-Johnson's Senior Bowl domination
At 6-foot-3, weighing in at 334-pounds Jackson Powers-Johnson has done nothing but improve his draft-stock since touching down in Mobile for the Senior Bowl.
Here is every one-on-one rep for #Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson through Day 2 of the Senior Bowl: pic.twitter.com/UfS3vq3poQ
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) January 31, 2024
He's an incredibly strong and athletic center. If he gets beaten by a move, it's rare to see him not adjust and win the rep. Something that sets Jackson Powers-Johnson apart, however, is the muscle between his two ears. JPJ is an intelligent center who's rarely in the wrong position, and that showed with his numbers. In the 2023 season alone, he allowed one singular pressure. One! That wasn't where JPJ stopped impressing. He was also named a unanimous First-Team All-American.
The only other Oregon Ducks in program history to be named a unanimous First-Team All-American were LaMichael James, Marcus Mariota, Penei Sewell, and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
For the big boys who don't always get their time in the spotlight, Jackson Powers-Johnson has earned every accolade he's received, and he's showing no signs of slowing down.
As for what he's done at the Senior Bowl, the Chicago Bears might want to look at getting some extra first-round draft picks. It doesn't appear as Jackson Powers-Johnson will be waiting too long on Day 1 of the NFL Draft, so if the Bears want to grab the best center in the draft, Ryan Poles will need to performe some more draft-day magic.
There's very little reason to believe JPJ lasts until the second round, especially after his first two days of practice at the Senior Bowl. He did withstand a hamstring injury on the second day of practice, and with his draft stock at an all-time high, it's likely he won't be taking anymore reps at the Senior Bowl.
All-in-all, Jackson Powers Johnson is one of the biggest winners— both literally and figuratively— of the Senior Bowl thus far.