Ohio State Buckeyes running back Ja'Kobi Jackson, a seventh-year player with previous stops at
Coahoma Community College and the Florida Gators, isn't deterred by being in a new environment for the 2026 season.
Jackson told Eleven Warriors that he's had no issues learning the Buckeyes' system, saying, “It's been pretty smooth since I'm already a veteran guy. So getting a hold of the system, it hasn't been really tough. Just been kind of every day, just staying consistent.”
Jackson shared that he plans on being a veteran leader in the locker room, helping out a room full of aspiring young talents like sophomores Bo Jackson and Isaiah West, and freshmen Legend Bey and Favour Akih.
“Just kind of helping them and showing them the things that I’ve found out over the years, kind of being their big brother to them,” Jackson said. “They pretty much understand (what they need to do), they pretty much got a good hang of it already. So just kind of come in and just being a leader, being myself and doing me really.”
Will Ja'Kobi Jackson have a big on-field role with Ohio State in 2026?
While we know Jackson is the elder statesman in the room, what we don't know is what his actual on-field role will be in Columbus this coming fall. Is Jackson going to be a big player or push for the RB1 role in his final season of eligibility, after missing most of the 2025 season with an upper-body injury?
If there are no significant injuries in the RB room, Bo Jackson should be RB1 after coming on strong as the 2025 season progressed. Behind him, though, Ja'Kobi Jackson might have a chance to rise up to RB2 output.
While Bey was impressive this spring before injuries, and Akih is surprisingly emerging in the room as well, Jackson is the likeliest newcomer to end up in a big role this fall, given his experience in the SEC.
It's possible Arthur Smith's offense doesn't overwork any one running back, with finding Jeremiah Smith as often as possible being the main goal for his play-calling. Still, there's room for several players to make impact plays that won't be forgotten if OSU could go the distance.