The Opening Drive 1/17: Addressing Running Back Depth with Ja'Kobi Jackson
Not a splash move, but a necessary one for the 2026 running back rotation. Let's watch some tape.
The Buckeyes entered the offseason expecting Bo Jackson, Isaiah West, and James Peoples to anchor the backfield again in 2026. That picture changed quickly. Peoples entered the transfer portal, Sam Dixon followed, and Jackson — Ohio State’s leading rusher — began seeking adjusted compensation per reports. The Buckeyes were able to stabilize things with Bo, but after losing two backs to the portal and CJ Donaldson to graduation, it became clear the room needed a veteran presence.
That’s where Ja’Kobi Jackson, the former Florida Gator, enters the equation.
Measurables & Production Snapshot
Jackson arrives from the University of Florida with a clear, role-defined profile and verified production.
Height / Weight: 5’11”, ~214 lbs
Build: Compact, sturdy frame built for contact and workload
Experience: Multi-year contributor in the SEC
Production at Florida:
2024: 95 carries, 509 yards, 5.4 YPC, 7 rushing TDs
2025 (limited): 27 carries, 98 yards
Career Totals: 122 carries, 607 yards, 7 rushing TDs
Receiving: 11 catches, 103 yards
Why this matters: When healthy and given consistent reps, Jackson showed efficiency, finish, and reliability against high-level competition. This isn’t projection — it’s documented production that adds experienced depth to the running back room.
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What Shows Up on Tape
Natural Scheme Fit
While at Florida, Coach Billy Napier deployed many of the same core run concepts we’ve seen under Coach Day — Outside Zone, Duo, and GT Counter. That familiarity matters.
What stands out on tape with Jackson is his feel for zone schemes. He consistently presses the ball frontside, forces the defense to declare, and then makes decisive cuts. When healthy, Jackson has shown the ability to press frontside and jump-cut back into the backside A or B gap — not an easy ask — or press frontside, find the seam, put his foot in the ground, and get vertical.
Below are two clips from Florida’s matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs (2024) that showcase exactly those traits. This is vision, patience, and decisiveness translating against top-end competition.
Ability to Make the First Defender Miss
Throughout the season, one of the consistent challenges Coach Day put on the running back room was simple: make the first defender miss. The offensive line is coached to get the play started — to get you four yards by design. After that, it’s on the back. You have to win in space.
That’s an underrated part of Jackson’s game, and it showed up more than once against the Georgia Bulldogs in 2024. Jackson consistently beats the unblocked defender, turns clean fits into positive gains, and extends runs beyond what’s drawn up.
Check the clips below. This is exactly what that coaching point looks like on tape.
Final Takeaway
The addition of Jackson isn’t about changing the identity of the room — it’s about supporting it. He brings experience, familiarity with the run schemes, and traits that translate: vision, decisiveness, and the ability to win the first miss. That matters over the course of a long season.
This move gives the Buckeyes another back they can trust to execute the design, protect the rotation, and keep standards high. It’s not flashy. It’s functional. And those are the additions that usually matter most by November.
Buckeye Film Breakdown will return soon with some fresh content.
