1. The youngest of four children, Powers-Johnson was raised in Draper, Utah, where he was a four-star recruit and three-year team captain at Corner Canyon High School. Over his high school career, he helped his team to three straight undefeated seasons and state championships.
2. Powers-Johnson took his talents to the University of Oregon where, across 714 career pass blocking snaps, he allowed zero sacks and just one quarterback hit, according to Pro Football Focus. In 2023, he started all 13 games and became the first Pac-12 player to win the Rimington Trophy, given to the nation's top college center.
Powers-Johnson is the first player drafted out of Oregon by the Raiders since the AFL/NFL Merger in 1970.
3. The Raiders love to find versatile linemen, which is exactly what they're getting in JPJ. In college, he saw action at both center and right guard – even playing at defensive tackle for one game his freshman year at Oregon.
"He has good size, exceptional quickness and steady balance," NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah wrote. "In pass pro, he sets vertically and is able to catch and absorb versus power rushers. He does an excellent job reworking his hands to maintain position and is a nasty helper when uncovered. In the run game, he uses his upper-body power to torque/turn defenders, generating a lot of movement at the point of attack. He is quick working up to the second level and takes good angles. Overall, there aren't many holes in his game. I love his bulldog playing style.
4. Powers-Johnson was such a standout at Oregon that he got a special burger named after him at a local brewery in Eugene, he told the media at the Combine. The "Big Jax" burger contains pulled pork, mac and cheese, bacon, two patties and queso, all on a brioche bun.
"If you can finish that, the meal is probably free," he said.
With the 44th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders have selected guard Jackson Powers-Johnson.