The Oklahoma Sooners spent the first couple of years on the recruiting trail working tirelessly to fortify their defensive line. It all culminated in a strong [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag] upfront.
One of the key figures in that recruiting class was defensive tackle [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag]. Seven games into his Sooners career, he’s already meeting expectations. The four-star prospect out of IMG Academy was a week one starter for Oklahoma, becoming the first true freshman to start at defensive tackle since Tommie Harris.
And he keeps getting better each week. Against South Carolina, he had arguably his best game of the season, posting his highest defensive grade from Pro Football Focus. He had four total tackles, including a sack, two total pressures, and three stops, which PFF defines as a play that constitutes a loss for the defense.
He was the highest-graded true freshman defensive tackle from Week 8 and was among the 10 highest-graded true freshmen from the week.
Through seven games, Jackson ranks among PFF’s 10 highest-graded Sooners, coming in at No. 9.
On the season, Jackson is tied for 10th on the Sooners with 16 total tackles. He’s recorded one tackle for loss and one sack in 2024. And he’s just scratching the surface.
So much of what Jackson’s been able to do for the Sooners doesn’t show up on the stat sheets. He’s been difficult to move off the ball and his quickness has been a challenge for opposing offensive linemen.
Even with Damonic Williams, Da’Jon Terry, and Gracen Halton all playing well, it’s hard to keep Jackson off the field. With that four-man rotation in the middle, the Sooners have become one of the best run defenses in the nation, surrendering just 2.9 yards per carry in 2024, which ranks ninth.
Just seven games into his Sooners career, Jayden Jackson has been everything Oklahoma could have hoped for. And the scary thing is he will only continue to get better.