Two Ohio State Standouts Make the Lott IMPACT Trophy Watchlist for the 2026 Season

The award is handed out yearly to a defensive player of the year for their personal character and athletic abilities.

Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. (7) runs a gasser at the conclusion of the Student Appreciation Day spring practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on April 4, 2026. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The watchlist season for College Football’s most prestigious awards has officially kicked off, and there’s no shortage of interest surrounding Ohio State’s superstars. 

The Lott IMPACT Trophy, which is handed out every year to a defensive player for their personal character and athletic abilities, has revealed its watchlist for the 2026 season, and two Buckeyes are featured on the 42 names. 

Kenyatta Jackson Jr., a 6’6’’ 265 pound defensive end, appears on the watchlist, as the fifth-year senior is coming off a breakout season where he tallied 11 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks. Jackson, who originally committed to Ohio State as a four-star recruit in 2022, has played all 30 games for the Buckeyes over the last two seasons, including 16 during the 2024 National Championship run. Jackson will now wear jersey No. 2 for 2026 after previously using No. 97 at Ohio State.

Alongside Jackson on the watchlist is Jermaine Mathews Jr., a 5’11’’ 190 pound cornerback who’s set to begin his fourth season with the program after originally committing to the Buckeyes as a four-star defensive back as part of the 2023 class. Mathews made third team All-Big Ten last year, after appearing in all 14 contests and racking up two picks, three passes defended, 1.5 tackles for a loss and a sack. 

Both players elected to come back to Ohio State instead of foregoing their remaining eligibility and heading to the NFL Draft, looking improve their game and add some value to their draft stock after being projected as potential mid-round selections for 2025.

Ohio State safety Caleb Downs took home the Lott IMPACT Trophy last year as part of a memorable campaign that also saw him win the Jim Thorpe Award. A two-time unanimous All-American for the Buckeyes, Downs was recently selected 11th overall by the Dallas Cowboys during last month’s NFL Draft. 

Former linebacker James Laurinaitis was the first Buckeye to be awarded the Lott IMPACT Trophy, back in 2008. 

Who will compete against Jackson and Mathews for the Lott IMPACT Trophy in 2026?

The other 40 players on the Lott IMPACT Trophy watchlist are defensive linemen Jide Abasiri (USC), Fisher Camac (Virginia), John Henry Daley (Michigan), A.J. Holmes (Texas Tech), Clev Lubin (Louisville), Quincy Rhodes Jr. (Arkansas), Colin Simmons (Texas), Tre Smith (Arizona), Dylan Stewart (South Carolina), Jahkeem Stewart (USC), Tyrique Tucker (Indiana), A’Mauri Washington (Oregon), Taylor Wein (Oklahoma), Sahir West (UCLA) and Damon Wilson (Miami); linebackers Sammy Brown (Clemson), Arion Carter (Tennessee), Luke Mergott (Duke), Ben Roberts (Texas Tech), Tony Rojas (Penn State), Matayo Uiagalelei (Oregon), Cade Uluave (BYU), Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (Notre Dame) and Whit Weeks (LSU); and defensive backs Matthew Bailey (Illinois), KJ Bolden (Georgia), Peyton Bowen (Oklahoma), Ty Bryant (Kentucky), Bryce Fitzgerald (Miami), Robert Fitzgerald (Northwestern), Bray Hubbard (Alabama), Jamel Johnson (TCU), Kelley Jones (Mississippi St), Zach Lutmer (Iowa), Leonard Moore (Notre Dame), John Nestor (Minnesota), Marcus Ratcliffe (Texas A&M), Ellis Robinson IV (Georgia), Jamari Sharpe (Indiana) and Smith Snowden (Michigan).

The Lott IMPACT Trophy watchlist for 2026 is made up of 25 seniors, 13 juniors and four sophomores.