Ohio State’s early buzz around running back Ja’Kobi Jackson is easy to understand. He’s a veteran transfer, he’s working his way through a crowded room, and he’s already showing up in different spots during camp.
Jackson arrived after playing in the SEC for Florida, where injury limited him in 2025. He logged 17 games at running back and finished with 607 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Now he’s in a Buckeyes backfield that already includes Bo Jackson, the assumed but not confirmed starter, along with Legend Bey, Isaiah West and Jackson competing for the rest of the carries.
What’s standing out so far is that Ohio State has been moving him between groups. Per Last Word On Sports, Jackson has been mixed with the ones in individual drills and the twos in team drills at different points in practice.
There’s plenty of interest because Jackson is not a freshman trying to carve out a role. He’s in his seventh year of eligibility, and he received his waiver to play in that seventh season on Jan. 2nd, 2026. Three days ago, his black stripe was removed, making him the first transfer to lose it and giving him another sign that he could climb into the rotation.
At the same time, the numbers tell a more cautious story. Jackson’s career total sits at 27 touches for 98 yards, a 3.6-yard average.
That’s why the hype has to be measured. He wasn’t brought to Ohio State to arrive as the headline back.
Instead, the Buckeyes appear to view him as insurance - a former SEC runner who can provide another option if Ohio State makes a deep playoff run. He’ll keep working to push the staff’s decision, but the expectation is not that he takes over the backfield.
Bo Jackson is still the one projected to lead the room, and it’s hard to imagine Ja’Kobi Jackson matching that workload. But as a backup, he could still become a useful piece. Where he settles in from here is up to the Buckeyes staff.
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For Ohio State fans, the intrigue is less about one August game than the broader trend of former Buckeyes getting off to strong starts in the NFL preseason. Klare is now part of that group, and his early usage naturally invites a second look at the mismatch between his skill set and the way he was deployed in college. The question hanging over his next step is whether this was just a crisp debut or the first sign of a bigger opportunity ahead. [Read more 🡒]