Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 56-3vs Ball State | 3 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 23-24@ Texas | 5 | 3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Total | 8 | 3 | 1.5 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
#2
Kenyatta Jackson
Senior defensive end for Ohio State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′6″ · 263 lb · Hollywood, FL
CFB Index 82 · #40 of 420 edge rushersMedium confidenceReturning to Ohio State for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
1
sack · 2026
1.5 TFL · 8 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 sacks, 1 TFL, 5 tackles, at Texas
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive end for Ohio State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Ohio State in 2022.
In Their Words
162 windows · 2026 fan posts
kenyatta×800.8grady×414.6zion×77.7start×15.8smith×12.5jackson×8.9ohio×9.6
Kenyatta Jackson
Turns pressure into sacks — when he gets there, he finishes. Fifth year in the Ohio State defensive front, same address the whole way. The receipt on tape: 3 tackles, 0.5 TFL against Ball State, Week 1, 2026.
8 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 5 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
2022
- Signed with Ohio State4-star out of Chaminade-Madonna
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Ohio State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
1 coach2022–2026
Ohio State
Played his entire career under Ryan Day.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
5 seasons under Ryan Day — 49-9 over that span.
2022Ohio State11-2HC: Ryan Day · Balanced
2023Ohio State11-2HC: Ryan Day · Balanced
2024Ohio State14-2HC: Ryan Day · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2025Ohio State12-2HC: Ryan Day · Run-leaning
2026Ohio State1-1HC: Ryan Day · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidenceBreakout
Elite: sacks (87th percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 4.0 TKL/g, 0.8 TFL/g, 0.5 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Ryan Day
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
82 · #40 of 420 edge rushers
Former four-star. Now #40 at the position.
2026 outlook
In the mix for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #3 of 11 Big Ten DEs
How the All-Big Ten estimate is computed
49% estimated, 95% confidence interval 43–54%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Ohio State | 8 | 3 | 1.5 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Ohio State | 28 | 16 | 11.0 | 6.5 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Ohio State | 16 | 8 | 3.0 | 1.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Ohio State | 7 | 3 | 2.0 | 1.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Ohio State | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 61 | 32 | 18.5 | 10.5 | 3 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 56–3
vs Ball State
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Turns pressure into sacks — when he gets there, he finishes.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Ohio State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive end · Ohio State
Returning around him
- 11 Ohio State players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -21 net (17 in / 38 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Ohio State · Last season: 12-2 (AP #3) · Talent rank #5 · 2026 recruiting class #4
DNA match
Player DNA
Finisher
Turns pressure into sacks — when he gets there, he finishes.
EDGE
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Niles King’s 2025 season.
Matches Niles on
Hurry rate
Sack rate
Weight
Differs from Niles on
Height (higher)
TFL rate (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Jordan Strachan's senior season at South Carolina (2023).
78%match
All-Sun Belt
Matches Jordan on
Pressure-to-sack conversion
Sack rate
Hurry rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Kenyatta Jackson
The defensive line · Ohio State
- #2Kenyatta Jackson11 tackles for loss · 2025
- #3James Smith6.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #96Eddrick Houston4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #55John Walker2.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #12Beau Atkinson2.5 tackles for loss · 2025
13 more on the roster · Ohio State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology