How Oklahoma DL Jayden Jackson Treasured 'Beneficial' Rest Ahead of CFP

NORMAN — Jayden Jackson is nearing full health at the right time.

Jackson, a sophomore defensive lineman for the Sooners, combined for only 44 snaps in the Sooners’ final three regular-season games due to a lingering lower-body injury.

After two Saturdays off and ample time to recover, Jackson feels ready to be the most effective version of himself in OU’s game against Alabama in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

“It was very beneficial,” Jackson said. “Three weeks off… not really off, but to recover, I think it was beneficial for the whole team.”

Even though Jackson’s playing time this year has been more limited than it was in 2024, he has been similarly productive.

In 11 regular-season games, Jackson logged 25 total tackles, 11 solo tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks. Last year, the defensive tackle registered 30 tackles, three tackles for loss and two tackles for loss as a true freshman and even earned Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and ESPN Freshman All-American honors.

While the lingering injury has kept Jackson from playing the majority of snaps lately, he believes that the close-knit nature of the defensive line has allowed him to stay effective when called upon.

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“I say this a lot, but we’re really tight,” Jackson said. “We’re probably the closest group I would say. It’s just a bunch of guys wanting to work.”

In Oklahoma’s game against Alabama in the regular season on Nov. 15, Jackson appeared on only 12 plays, tied for his lowest snap count of the season with OU’s lopsided win over Temple in Week 3. He didn’t record any stats in that game.

While Jackson’s role in OU’s 23-21 win over the Crimson Tide wasn’t massive, he still came away from Tuscaloosa with plenty of takeaways.

“There’s a lot of stuff we need to work on,” Jackson said. “Communication, pad level, you can literally go down the list of false steps, simple things like that we need to work on. We definitely emphasized that, we definitely worked to get better on every aspect that we were lacking. We’ve been improving and working on that type of stuff.”

Jackson acknowledged that it hasn’t been the way he “wanted the season to go,” personally, due to the injury that has kept him on a snap count.

But he isn’t as concerned with individual accolades. Jackson and his teammates’ national title dreams are still alive.

“You never know what will happen, but I’m very blessed to be in the position I am,” Jackson said. “The College Football Playoff is pretty much every kid’s dream. You never know what will happen.”

Friday’s game between the Sooners and Crimson Tide will begin at 7 p.m.