Jaxson Kirkland Bio
Jaxson Kirkland (born July 30, 1998) is an American professional football guard who plays in the National Football League (NFL). He is a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, where he has spent his entire professional career since joining the organization as an undrafted free agent in 2023. Kirkland built his reputation as a reliable offensive lineman during a long college tenure with the Washington Huskies, where he earned three consecutive First-team All-Pac-12 honors. Standing 6 feet 7 inches tall and listed at 325 pounds, he combines the size and technique required to play across multiple spots on the offensive front.
Although he entered the league without being selected in the NFL draft, Kirkland has remained on NFL rosters through resilience and versatility. His professional path has included time on both the active roster and the practice squad with Cincinnati, and he has continued to develop within the Bengals’ offensive line program.
Early Life and Background
Jaxson Kirkland was born in Portland, Oregon, and grew up in nearby Camas, Washington. He attended Jesuit High School in Beaverton, Oregon, where he played offensive line and developed into a high-level college recruit. During his prep career, Kirkland drew attention for his size, footwork, and ability to handle both pass protection and run blocking responsibilities.
Coming out of high school, Kirkland was rated a three-star recruit. During the summer before his senior year, he initially committed to play college football at UCLA. However, after his senior football season concluded, he decommitted from the Bruins and ultimately signed a letter of intent to play at the University of Washington. He also held an offer from the University of Oregon, but chose the Huskies in order to compete in the Pac-12 Conference and develop within a strong offensive line tradition.
Path to American Football
Kirkland’s path to professional football began with his recruitment to the University of Washington, where he joined a program known for producing NFL offensive linemen. He redshirted his true freshman season in order to add strength and refine his technique before competing at the collegiate level. That developmental year allowed him to adjust to the speed and complexity of major college football.
As a redshirt freshman, Kirkland earned the starting right guard position for the Huskies and started all 14 games, an early sign of his durability and football intelligence. The following season, he started 11 games at right guard before sustaining an injury that cut his year short. Those experiences prepared him to handle the rigors of a full college slate and gave him the foundation to transition to the left side of the offensive line in later seasons.
Jaxson Kirkland Career
Early Career at Washington (2017–2019)
Kirkland’s early college career at Washington was marked by steady progression. After using his redshirt year to develop physically, he became the Huskies’ starting right guard as a redshirt freshman and played a full 14-game schedule. The experience gave him valuable reps against top-tier pass rushers in the Pac-12 Conference and helped him build the fundamentals required to play at a high level.
His redshirt sophomore season offered further growth, as he started 11 games at right guard before an injury limited his playing time late in the year. Even so, his combination of size, technique, and durability made him a foundational piece of the Washington offensive line and set the stage for his move to a more prominent position.
Pac-12 Recognition and Tackle Transition (2020–2022)
Heading into the 2020 season, Kirkland moved from right guard to left tackle, a transition that showcased his athletic upside and willingness to play wherever the team needed him. The switch paid off immediately, as he was named First-team All-Pac-12 at the conclusion of the season, the first of three consecutive all-conference honors.
Following the 2020 campaign, Kirkland considered entering the 2021 NFL draft, but chose to return to Washington for a fifth season in order to refine his craft. In 2021, he repeated as a First-team All-Pac-12 selection despite missing two games with an ankle injury and starting ten contests. He initially declared for the 2022 NFL draft, but later opted out after it was discovered that the ankle injury was more severe than previously thought. He returned for the 2022 season and earned First-team All-Pac-12 recognition for a third straight year, cementing his legacy as one of the conference’s top offensive linemen.
Cincinnati Bengals Era (2023–Present)
After concluding his college career, Kirkland signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent on May 12, 2023. On August 29, he was waived as part of the Bengals’ final roster cuts, but was re-signed to the practice squad the following day, giving him an opportunity to continue developing within the organization. Following the end of the 2023 regular season, Cincinnati signed Kirkland to a reserve/future contract on January 8, 2024.
In 2024, Kirkland made the Bengals’ initial roster as a backup offensive lineman, but his season was cut short when he suffered a biceps injury in Week 5. He was placed on injured reserve on October 8, 2024. Heading into the 2025 season, Kirkland was again waived as part of final roster cuts on August 26, 2025, and re-signed to the practice squad the following day, continuing his role as a depth piece for the Cincinnati offensive front.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining milestones of Kirkland’s career came during his time at Washington, where he earned First-team All-Pac-12 honors in three consecutive seasons from 2020 through 2022. He also became one of the more respected undrafted free agent signings of the 2023 cycle when he joined the Bengals and has since spent multiple seasons navigating between the active roster and practice squad, demonstrating the resilience required to remain in the NFL without the security of a draft selection.
Jaxson Kirkland Career Wins
Jaxson Kirkland’s on-field résumé is highlighted more by his consistency, versatility, and all-conference recognition than by countable individual victories. As an offensive lineman, his contributions are measured by team success, durability, and individual honors rather than by traditional win totals, and the verified record of his professional career shows that he has appeared in games with the Cincinnati Bengals while primarily serving in a depth role.
College Highlights
At Washington, Kirkland established himself as a multi-year starter, beginning with a redshirt freshman season in which he started all 14 games. He went on to earn three consecutive First-team All-Pac-12 selections from 2020 to 2022, playing both right guard and left tackle during his career with the Huskies.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond his all-conference honors, Kirkland’s broader performance profile includes his ability to return from injury and continue competing at a high level, including his decision to come back for additional college seasons in 2021 and 2022. In the NFL, his professional statistics through the 2025 season include two games played with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Jaxson Kirkland Family
Personal Life
Jaxson Kirkland was raised in the Pacific Northwest, with ties to both Portland, Oregon, where he was born, and Camas, Washington, where he spent much of his youth. He attended Jesuit High School in Beaverton, Oregon, an institution with a strong athletic tradition that helped shape his early football development. Public details about his immediate family, marital status, and personal relationships are not widely documented in verified sources.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represents another chapter in Kirkland’s ongoing effort to establish a long-term role with the Cincinnati Bengals. After being waived as part of the team’s final roster cuts on August 26, 2025, he was quickly re-signed to the practice squad the following day, a familiar path for him after experiencing the same roster movement in his first professional season. His placement on the practice squad suggests the Bengals value his development and want to keep him within the organization as offensive line depth.
Coming off a 2024 campaign in which he made the initial 53-man roster before a biceps injury ended his season in October, Kirkland enters 2025 focused on returning to full health and re-establishing himself as a reliable backup. His combination of tackle and guard experience gives Cincinnati flexibility along the offensive front, and his continued presence on the practice squad positions him as a candidate to be elevated if injuries or performance issues arise during the season.
Looking ahead, Kirkland’s outlook for the 2025 season centers on staying healthy, mastering the Bengals’ offensive scheme, and remaining ready for an opportunity to contribute on game days. His track record of resilience, including three consecutive all-conference college seasons and multiple practice squad promotions, underscores a player who has consistently fought to extend his NFL career.