After a hectic start to the 2025 NFL offseason, the Detroit Lions now have some time to rest — five weeks, to be exact — before returning to action. The Lions will be facing the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game at the end of July and have canceled their mandatory minicamp as a result, giving Dan Campbell & Co. plenty of time to prepare their players for the rest of the offseason.
Without any Lions action on the horizon, the five-week hiatus is the perfect time to catch up with how this year's organized team activities (OTAs) went. Although some individuals made the most of the voluntary workouts, the same can't be said for one Detroit rookie flying under the radar.
Lions Rookie S Dan Jackson Is Flying Under Radar After OTAs
The Lions used the 2025 NFL draft to add seven new rookies to their ranks, including Georgia safety Dan Jackson. The 24-year-old defensive back and two-time CFP National Champion was solid throughout his Bulldogs tenure and was coming off a third-team All-SEC campaign that saw him record 47 solo tackles, three broken-up passes, two interceptions, and a forced fumble in 14 outings.
As promising as his outlook appeared after the draft, Jackson has failed to create much buzz since then. Although the rookie safety made the occasional disruptive play during OTAs, Lions Wire's Jeff Risdon reported that the former Bulldog tends to struggle if the action isn't happening in front of him.
"if the play gets behind him or close to the sideline, Jackson is not an asset," Risdon wrote.
Becoming more of a well-rounded player is a must if Jackson wants to play big snaps for the Lions. Campbell's staff often gives opportunities to the players they can trust the most, meaning the Gainesville, GA native must find a way to stop being burned by opposing pass-catchers.
Fortunately, the Lions' training camp and preseason schedule will give Jackson plenty of opportunities to perfect his craft. His speedy and aggressive play style is something Detroit's secondary could use, especially with the safety depth being relatively weak beyond Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph. So, Jackson will likely compete with Avonte Maddox for the No. 3 safety role throughout the summer.
Hopefully, Jackson will step up and find a way to stick out from the competition. The Lions are at their best when the entire roster is firing on all cylinders, and it wouldn't be surprising to learn if Campbell was already figuring out a plan to maximize the rookie safety's talents before training camp begins.