Ohio State is retaining one of its starting defensive ends from its top-ranked 2025 defense.
Kenyatta Jackson Jr. announced Thursday that he will return to Columbus for his fifth-year senior season.
In his announcement, Jackson posted a graphic in which he is wearing a jersey with the number 2, indicating a possible jersey number change for his final season as a Buckeye.
Jackson collected 28 tackles with 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks for the Buckeyes in 2025, his first year as a starter. He recorded 45 total pressures in 288 pass rush snaps per Pro Football Focus, a pressure rate of 15.6%. He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection.
Projected as a Day 2 NFL draft pick, Jackson had the opportunity to start his professional career in 2026, as fellow starting defensive end Caden Curry will after exhausting his eligibility this past season. But Jackson could improve his stock further with another season, especially if he produces more on the stat sheet than he did this year.
Jackson also played a significant rotational role in Ohio State's 2023 and 2024 defenses, backing up the Buckeyes' starting defensive end tandem of Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau. He combined for 23 tackles, five TFLs and three sacks in those two years.
Now, Jackson will be the leader of Ohio State’s 2026 defensive line as its only returning starter. Rising sophomore Zion Grady is a leading candidate to start opposite him at defensive end. Other candidates to play significant roles on the edge in 2026 include Beau Atkinson, who transferred to Ohio State from North Carolina last offseason, and Qua Russaw, who transferred to Ohio State from Alabama on Monday.
