Austin Jackson

Austin Jackson was born on August 11, 1999, in Sacramento, California, and grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. He attended North Canyon High School, where he distinguished himself in football, playing both defensive and offensive line, and also participated in basketball and track and field. A highly-rated five-star recruit, Jackson was considered the top collegiate prospect in Arizona during his senior year, ultimately committing to the University of Southern California (USC).

During his collegiate career at USC from 2017 to 2019, Jackson played in all 39 games, starting 25. As a true freshman, he served as a reserve offensive lineman and on special teams, notably blocking a kick against Colorado. He became the starting left tackle in his sophomore year, starting all 12 games. In 2019, prior to his junior season, Jackson underwent surgery to donate bone marrow to his sister, who suffers from Diamond-Blackfan anemia. Despite this, he returned to play as the starting left tackle, earning Pac-12 Conference Offensive Lineman of the Week honors for his performance against Stanford, which included blocking a 43-yard field goal attempt. He finished his junior year as a first-team All-Pac-12 selection before declaring for the NFL Draft.

Jackson was selected by the Miami Dolphins as the 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He made his NFL debut starting at left tackle in September 2020. Throughout his professional career, he has primarily played as a left and right tackle for the Dolphins. In 2023, he signed a three-year, $36 million contract extension with the team, including $20.7 million guaranteed, after starting every game. He has faced periods on injured reserve due to injuries, including a foot injury in 2020, ankle injuries in 2022 and 2025, and knee surgery in 2024, which ended his season. His grandfather, Melvin Jackson, also played offensive line at USC and for the Green Bay Packers.