OU defensive tackle Jayden Jackson earns SEC freshman honor
OU head coach Brent Venables kept saying it and saying it. There was just something different about defensive tackle Jayden Jackson.
Hey, he was right. Jackson, a true freshman for OU in 2024, started the first game and never looked back. No freshman wall, no growing pains in the SEC, just kept coming.
Jackson was named to the Freshman All-SEC Team, the league office announced Thursday. Selections were made by the league’s head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own players.
On a defense full of young playmakers, Jackson might be one to circle the most. But he’s excited about everybody else that’s there with him.
“I just feel like it’s going to be, ‘the sky’s the limit.’ There’s a bunch of freshmen out there gaining experience playing at the highest level,” said Jackson a couple of weeks ago. “Imagine what they’re going to do in Year Three or Year Four that they’re here, so I feel like we’re building upon right now.
“Some of the guys, they were more mature than your typical freshmen coming in. I saw that, the coaches saw it. So yes sir.”
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An Indianapolis, Ind., product, who finished high school at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, Jackson has played in all 12 games and made nine starts at defensive tackle this season for the Sooners and was named a True Freshman All-American by On3.
By the numbers
He has 28 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and a pass breakup.
It was big news when Jackson was one of the starters for the initial game. A little bit of history. Jackson became only the fourth OU true freshman to start on the defensive line in a season opener and the first since Tommie Harris in 2001. He registered his first career sack against South Carolina and added a sack in the Missouri game. He also recorded a tackle for loss against Alabama.
Jackson has been part of an Oklahoma defense that ranks ninth nationally and third in the SEC in tackles for loss (7.7 per game), 13th nationally and third in the SEC in rushing defense (105.8 yards per game allowed), 16th nationally in sacks (2.9 per game), 21st nationally in total defense (318.3 yards per game allowed) and 34th nationally in scoring defense (21.6 points per game).
OU (6-6, 2-6 SEC) takes on Navy (8-3, 6-2 AAC) in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl on Friday, Dec. 27, in Fort Worth, Texas. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT on ESPN.
