Signed: Four-star Defensive End Kenyatta Jackson Jr. Gives Ohio State a Legitimate Pass Rushing Threat Defensively

Ohio State, or Oklahoma? 

Those two schools had been on four-star defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr.'s mind since late July, and the decision was always going to come down to those two schools, with his father, Kenyatta Jackson Sr., calling the decision "50-50." 

On Oct. 19, Jackson Jr. went with his gut, becoming the first defensive lineman to commit to OSU in the 2022 cycle. He officially put his pen to paper on Wednesday, inking his National Letter of Intent, despite a late push from Miami to keep the Florida native in-state. Jackson Jr. told the Hurricanes' new staff thanks, but no thanks. 

"We sat down and talked a week prior to him making a decision," Jackson Sr. told Eleven Warriors after the commitment. "We feel that Ohio State is a more mature atmosphere, even the coaches. These are more older and mature classy guys who can get the job done on and off the field. They can make him a great man as he proceeds with life after football. Not saying that Oklahoma or Alabama can't do it, we just were more comfortable as parents letting him decide on Ohio State, even though he picked the school himself."

RELATED Q&A: Four-star Defensive End Kenyatta Jackson Jr.'s Father Says “More Mature Atmosphere” Led to Son’s Ohio State Commitment

Before his commitment, Jackson Jr. visited Ohio State twice this summer, once in June and then later in July for the Buckeye Bash & BBQ. The family wanted to attend a gameday atmosphere, but couldn't quite make it work with their schedule. Jackson Jr. will not enroll early and plans to join the Buckeyes in 2022 for fall camp.

Welcome to the Brotherhood, @kjacksonjr_
From fellow #R2X @Sam_Hubbard_ #BOOM22 pic.twitter.com/KC02MTLH1j

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 15, 2021

Jackson Jr. is one of two defensive linemen signees OSU has landed in the 2022 class, with Indiana four-star Caden Curry being the other. While Curry could play either inside or outside, Jackson Jr. profiles as a true edge pass rusher. Ohio State is still heavily pursuing Hero Kanu, a defensive tackle who plans to announce his decision during the All-American game in January, and defensive end Omari Abor, who also plans to announce his decision in 2022. 

At 6-foot-3, 235-pounds, Jackson Jr. will need to add more weight to a lean but muscular frame at the next level, but could make life hell for opposing quarterbacks as his career plays out. He had a successful ending to his high school career, leading Chaminade-Madonna Prep (Hollywood, Florida) to a state title, and secured a strip sack in that game. In his senior season, Jackson Jr. finished with 17 sacks in 11 games while leading his team to an 11-1 record. He did this alongside cornerback Ryan Turner, who will continue to be Jackson Jr.'s teammate at the next level. 

While it's likely Jackson Jr. needs to bulk up before he sees the field, it's not too uncommon for Larry Johnson to play true freshman that merit snaps, looking at Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau from 2021. Of course, being able to be coached by Johnson is part of what drew Jackson Jr. to Ohio State in the first place. 

"It's just the relationship that he built with coach Larry Johnson and coach Ryan Day. Even us coming along as parents, we love coach Larry Johnson," Jackson Sr. said. "He's a man with integrity and has a lot of character. His background speaks for itself ever since he was at Penn State. It built from there. The guys he put in the NFL the last three to four years, that's legendary. He's good at what he does, and he has the tools to get the guys going where they need to be at a certain time."