Oklahoma’s defensive tackle room has a chance to be nasty in 2026, and the spotlight is already finding David Stone. Jayden Jackson, though, may be the bigger name getting left in the shadows.
That’s a little strange when you look at what Jackson has already put on tape. The junior-to-be was productive as a sophomore in 2025, finishing with 28 total tackles, 12 solo tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks. His PFF defensive grade also ticked up from 69 in 2024 to 69.2 in 2025.
Jackson’s season was interrupted late by a foot injury, and that likely played a role in the lack of preseason buzz around him. He was on the field for fewer than 20 snaps in three of Oklahoma’s final four games, and he missed the Kent State game altogether. With Stone, Gracen Halton and Damonic Williams in the mix, the Sooners didn’t have to push Jackson and risk making the injury worse.
Even with the limited finish, Jackson still stacked up a strong year. He actually posted more tackles for loss and sacks than he did during his full 2024 campaign, and he already has 16 starts to his name. At 6-2 and 310 pounds, he’s no longer just a promising young lineman - he’s one of the veterans in the middle of that defense.
Stone, of course, has gotten plenty of attention for good reason. After a quieter first season in Norman, he broke through in 2025 with 16 solo tackles, eight tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
He’s been named a preseason All-American by Phil Steele, Walter Camp and On3, and Pro Football Focus ranked him No. 31 in the nation. He was also Oklahoma’s highest-graded player in EA College Football 27 with a 94 rating.
The bigger picture for Oklahoma is hard to miss. If Stone and Jackson stay healthy, they could form arguably the nation’s best front line of defensive tackles. Together, they combined for 70 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, eight quarterback hurries and 4.5 sacks as sophomores in 2025.
With Halton and Williams now in the NFL, Jackson and Stone will be the guys carrying the interior. Trent Wilson, Nigel Smith II and Bishop Thomas are also in the room, but the snap counts at defensive tackle figure to run through the two juniors if everything holds up.
Stone has the buzz. Jackson has the resume. And as 2026 gets closer, it’s hard not to wonder if Jackson is the one being overlooked.
In Other News...
Sooners Commit Cooper Hackett Is Suddenly At Center Of Recruiting Divide
Cooper Hacketts name is suddenly sitting at the center of a recruiting split, and for Oklahoma that makes him one of the more interesting commits in the 2027 class. Rivals kept the Fort Gibson offensive tackle in five-star territory, slotting him among the elite prospects in the country, while other services have taken a more cautious view as the offseason unfolds. For the Sooners, it is the kind of evaluation debate that can follow a high-upside lineman when the tape is still being weighed against long-term projection.
The tension around Hackett comes from how much his current standing is tied to what evaluators think he can become once he is fully healthy again. His talent and potential remain highly regarded, but the injury news has clearly influenced where he lands in the rankings conversation, and that leaves Oklahoma with a commitment whose ceiling is obvious even if the present-day picture is less settled. For a program building its future up front, the disagreement only adds to the intrigue. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahomas SEC Media Day Group Includes One Choice Fans Will Notice
Oklahomas trip to SEC Media Day on July 20 in Tampa will feature the kind of mix that usually tells you a little something about where a program thinks it is headed. Brent Venables will be joined by quarterback John Mateer, defensive end Taylor Wein and offensive lineman Eddy Pierre-Louis, giving the Sooners a four-man group that blends the face of the program with a few players who have helped shape the rosters next layer.
Mateer has already been through this stage before, but Wein and Pierre-Louis are set for their first appearances, which adds a fresh angle to Oklahomas day in front of the league. The Sooners have plenty to talk about after recent performances from those players and with the new season approaching, and the media session should offer another snapshot of how Venables wants his team presented as it settles deeper into SEC life. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Nagy Is Already Shaping Big Decisions At Oklahoma
Jim Nagys arrival as Oklahomas general manager has already given the Sooners a different kind of voice in the room, one shaped by years of NFL scouting and personnel work. After 17 seasons evaluating talent for pro teams and a run as executive director of the Senior Bowl from 2018 to 2025, Nagy brings a perspective the program can lean on as players sort through the next steps in their careers.
That kind of guidance matters most when a decision is not just about the draft, but about timing, development and fit. Wide receiver Isaiah Sategna is among the players who have already benefited from those conversations, and Oklahoma appears to be getting the kind of front-office help that can influence both the roster in the short term and the programs long-term NFL pipeline. [Read more 🡒]