Is Oklahoma DL Jayden Jackson Being Overlooked Ahead of Junior Season?

Despite battling an injury, Jayden Jackson was one of the Sooners' most disruptive defenders in 2025.

Oklahoma defensive tackle Jayden Jackson warms up before the Sooners' game against Temple. | Carson Field, Sooners on SI

Assuming they stay healthy, David Stone and Jayden Jackson will make up arguably the nation’s best front line of defensive tackles.

Stone and Jackson, who are both entering their junior years, combined for 70 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, eight quarterback hurries and 4.5 sacks as sophomores in 2025. 

Jackson’s outstanding sophomore campaign followed his freshman year in which he earned ESPN and FWAA Freshman All-American honors, while Stone’s success came after a fairly quiet first college football season.

Stone has earned plenty of buzz ahead of the 2026 season. 

The former 5-star defensive lineman was named a preseason All-American by Phil Steele, Walter Camp and On3 while also being ranked as the No. 31 player in the nation by Pro Football Focus (PFF). He was also Oklahoma’s highest-graded player in the newest college football video game, EA College Football 27, with a 94 rating.

Jackson, on the other hand, has not earned many preseason accolades. Why is that?

Part of the reason is likely the result of Jackson being limited late in the 2025 season with a foot injury. Jackson appeared on fewer than 20 snaps in three of the Sooners’ final four contests, and he missed the Kent State game entirely.

Oklahoma had plenty of depth at the position between Stone, Jackson, Gracen Halton and Damonic Williams. Because of that, the Sooners didn’t need to give Jackson too many snaps late in the season. OU had plenty of manpower at defensive tackle, and it didn’t need to risk aggravating Jackson’s injury further.

Despite his ailments, Jackson still produced.

The defensive tackle finished 2025 with 28 total tackles, 12 solo tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks. His PFF defensive grade actually improved slightly from a 69 in 2024 to a 69.2 in 2025.

Why Jackson is an All-American candidate

Oklahoma defensive tackle Jayden Jackson sacks Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold. | Carson Field, Sooners on SI

Make no mistake — Stone deserves the hype that he’s received. After a lackluster first year in Norman, Stone notched 16 solo tackles, eight tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 2025, and he’s already being viewed as a no-doubt first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, if he chooses to enter the professional ranks after the 2026 season.

But Jackson also has plenty of potential to earn All-SEC or All-American honors.

The 6-2, 310-pound defensive lineman already has 16 starts under his belt. And despite a foot injury limiting his role in 2025, he still found a way to log more tackles for loss and sacks than he did during his full 2024 campaign.

Plus, Jackson is now one of the veteran leaders on the interior of OU’s defensive line. With Halton and Williams now in the NFL, Stone and Jackson will be called upon to lead the position group that also features Trent Wilson, Nigel Smith II and Bishop Thomas. Stone and Jackson will presumably dominate the snap counts at the defensive tackle spots if they both stay healthy.

Across the board, Oklahoma’s defense should be among the nation’s best in 2026. And as the season approaches, one can’t help but think that college football minds are overlooking the impact Jackson might have on the unit.

---

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.

---