Why Jayden Jackson, David Stone's Built-in Chemistry can Elevate Oklahoma's D-Line

Jayden Jackson and David Stone are both primed for their biggest roles yet, and the two of them have played together for years.

Oklahoma defensive linemen David Stone and Jayden Jackson look on during a drill at practice. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

NORMAN — Jayden Jackson and David Stone have played together on the same defensive line for several years.

Jackson and Stone, both entering their third year at Oklahoma, played together as high schoolers at IMG Academy in Florida.

The two of them are now the leaders on the interior of OU’s vaunted defensive line.

“Me and (Jackson) are ready for the opportunity that we’ve been given,” Stone said.

Stone and Jackson were used differently during their first two collegiate seasons, but both of them have established themselves as stars.

In 2024, Jackson appeared on 387 snaps and registered 30 tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks to earn ESPN and FWAA All-American honors. Stone’s Year 1 role was significantly smaller, as he logged only 94 snaps/

Stone, though, broke out in 2025. The former 5-star defensive lineman notched 42 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 1.5 snaps. Jackson, on the other hand, produced well when he played, but an injury limited his role in the back half of the season.

Even though Stone and Jackson showed brilliance throughout their first two seasons, their snap counts weren’t as high as they would’ve been without Gracen Halton and Damonic Williams in the mix.

Halton and Williams — both of whom are now competing for spots on NFL 53-man rosters — combined for 33 starts at defensive tackle over the last two seasons. Jackson and Stone got plenty of playing time during those seasons, but the two of them rarely got to see the field at the same time.

And that will change in 2026.

“The biggest thing for me and (Jackson) is really coming out together knowing that, ‘Hey, we may not have played a lot of snaps together last season, but this season going forward, we already have the chemistry,’” Stone said. “We have the experience together from high school.”

It seems like Jackson and Stone just enrolled at OU ahead of their freshman seasons. But, believe it or not, both of them are now upperclassmen and leaders on the defensive line.

Those two got the chance to learn from Halton and Williams during their first two years. Now, they’ll look to bolster the development of the group below them on the depth chart — which includes Nigel Smith II, Trent Wilson and James Carrington — to give the Sooners similar competitive depth.

“I don’t even know if they’re backups, to be honest,” Jackson said. “My position isn’t secured right now. That only creates competitive toughness, and it just creates depth.”

It won’t be easy for the Sooners to replicate the production that Halton and Williams provided over the last two seasons. But even so, Jackson and Stone believe that the defensive tackle room will take another step forward in 2026.

“The expectation should be going farther than we went not only last year, but ever in this program,” Jackson said.

Stone said, “We’re just going to continue to bring that moving forward, and Nigel and Tank will follow suit.”

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