Ohio State’s training camp has already started to separate the names from the players, and one of the clearest winners is Kenyatta Jackson.
Jackson’s rise has been a long one. He arrived in 2022 as a true freshman wearing No. 97, a number that carried plenty of expectations given the Buckeye defenders who wore it before him.
His first season didn’t give much reason for instant hype - he played in only three games and finished with two solo tackles. But he kept grinding, and that patience paid off in a big way.
By 2025, he had broken through after stepping into the opening left by Jack Sawyer.
Now, after 45 career games at Ohio State, Jackson has built a résumé that includes 53 combined tackles, 17 tackles for loss and one National Championship. That climb has now taken him into a new role.
On Aug. 22nd, 2026, Ryan Day and the Buckeyes announced seven team captains, and Jackson was among them. He’ll lead alongside linebacker Payton Pierce and safety Jayden McCLain.
That matters. Jackson hasn’t just been a useful piece for past Ohio State teams - he’s moved into the kind of leadership spot only a few Buckeyes get to claim. As a fifth-year senior, he’s now one of the faces of the program heading into 2026-27.
His production backed that up in 2025-26. Jackson finished second on the team with 11 tackles for loss and added 6.5 sacks, then earned Big Ten Honors for his play. So even before the season kicks off, his stock is clearly trending upward.
The other side of the quarterback room tells a different story.
Tavien St. Clair entered camp expected to hold the backup job, but Luke Fahey has made that a real fight.
Fahey, a true freshman, lost his blackstripe early and has used his efficient work to push Day into taking a harder look at the position battle. He hasn’t gotten as many reps as St.
Clair, but he’s done enough to create pressure.
For St. Clair, that means a rougher camp than he likely expected. A five-star recruit watching the backup role come under threat this early is a sign his stock has slipped.
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