The Oklahoma Sooners have taken a different approach with their younger players than they did in year one, when freshmen didn’t play much. They’re letting competition play out, and if guys get the opportunity to get on the field early, [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his staff will give them the chance. And true freshman [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] has earned the opportunity to start for the Sooners this week when they take on Temple.
Speaking at the Rudy’s BBQ Coach’s Show this week, Venables was asked about Jackson, who is listed atop the depth chart at defensive tackle for week one.
“Since Jayden got here, he’s really shown a different level of maturity,” Venables said. “He shows up every day. Just how he lives his life, everything is pretty clean for him. … He makes good decisions, and he’s got incredible discipline.”
Discipline as a defensive lineman, especially a defensive tackle, is as important as some of the more tangible traits like strength or quickness. The defensive tackle can often be responsible for multiple gaps in the defensive alignment and has to be ready to go from run defender to pass rusher or vice versa in a split second. If a defensive tackle guesses wrong or doesn’t play their assignment, it can open up a massive hole in the middle of the defense,c creating vulnerability.
Jayden Jackson’s being lauded for his discipline and decision-making is a strong sign of his potential. If you make good decisions and remain disciplined off the field, it will translate to the field.
Coming out of IMG Academy in the 2024 recruiting class, Jackson flew a bit more under the radar than his teammate [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], who was a five-star prospect and the crown jewel of the Sooners 2024 class. However, Stone himself praised Jackson’s ability and work ethic coming out of high school, and his trajectory has been skyrocketing ever since.
Jackson had a really strong spring, earning the start in the Sooners’ spring game. And he’s continued that throughout fall camp.
“He knows what he wants,” Venables said. “He’s willing to sacrifice things that don’t help get him what he wants. He just lives a really disciplined lifestyle and that’s a prerequisite in order to earn an opportunity to play at a consistent level. He’s really (starting) because he’s worked for it.”
Jackson has the size, strength, and quickness to be an immediate contributor for the Sooners defense. He had a great first offseason, where he showed the coaching staff that he’s ready to play a significant role for the Sooners. And it all starts this Friday night against Temple.
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