Jaxon Pacheco Jaxon Pacheco 6'2" | 295 lbs | DL/OL Brick Memorial | 2027 State NJ has been impressing at every combine and event he has attended this offseason, and I don’t expect that momentum to end any time soon. Jaxon is a strong, built up interior defender with more quickness than you would anticipate. Ranked as the #100 prospect in NJ, Jaxon has the chance this weekend to break into the top 100 and elevate his status with a strong performance in Jackson, NJ.

Pacheco’s showcase performance was dominant, earning him a spot as one of the Top 5 performers overall. His explosive quick first step stands out immediately. This allows him to penetrate gaps quickly and disrupt plays in the backfield before they develop. His hand usage is particularly violent and effective; Pacheco employs heavy, powerful strikes to shed blockers, combining swim moves, rip techniques, and bull rushes in a varied arsenal that keeps offensive linemen off-balance. This mix of moves was evident in 1-on-1 drills, where he won the majority of his reps against quality competition.

Based on the showcase evaluation, no glaring weaknesses were apparent in Pacheco’s game—his youth and raw upside make him a clean prospect at this stage. That said, as with many underclassmen, he could occasionally over-rely on his athleticism rather than refined technique in sustained reps, potentially leading to balance issues against more polished offensive linemen in live game scenarios. Film from the event showed moments where he could improve pad level consistency to maintain leverage, especially when transitioning from pass rush to run defense. These are minor nitpicks typical for a sophomore and not red flags, but areas to monitor as he accumulates more experience.

A prospect that has kept me clued into his athletic happenings since his first ranking, Pacheco showed more of the same of what he put on film. Pacheco is very quick, with sound footwork, when slanting inside. Moreover, he manages to hit clean, strong rips that he routinely finishes. Pacheco’s game will expand as he works counters off of his rip.

A prospect with eye-popping film, Jaxon Pacheco Jaxon Pacheco 6'2" | 295 lbs | DL/OL Brick Memorial | 2027 State NJ was one of the better line prospects that I had the pleasure of watching. Almost a to mastery level, Pacheco takes on doubles like a machine. He consistently keeps his hands on half-a-man to maintain his gap integrity and is strong enough to not get displaced. Against zone teams we see him fight the reach well, also managing to maintain his gap discipline. When rushing the passer he commands double teams. And guess what. Pacheco finds a way to split those as well. In run defense I appreciated how he stacked the heels of opposing offensive linemen when slanting. This allows Pacheco to play flat down the line as he pursues the ball. A very well coached player, Pacheco spills trap blocks by wrong arming and features the club-swim.

There is something to be said about having a war daddy in the middle of the line who can take on double teams correctly and not get displaced. For Brick Memorial, Jaxon Pacheco Jaxon Pacheco 6'2" | 295 lbs | DL/OL Brick Memorial | 2027 State NJ is him. Pacheco is disciplined in working through one, half-man on double teams and hold the line. While on the topic of double teams, Pacheco has shown to be able to split them open in a pass rush situation. Additionally, he recognizes reach, fighting it well and maintaining his gap control. A very well coached player, Pacheco has shown to wrong arm, redirect when stunted away from the play, and stack the heels of his offensive matchup when he slants past them. An area for him to improve would be to activate his hips when pass rushing.