The Oklahoma Sooners are off to a struggling 3-3 start in the 2026 college football season, despite starting in the top 10 with national championship aspirations. While there is plenty going wrong for the Sooners, there are still some bright spots.

The biggest bright spot is the Sooners' defense. Oklahoma has one of the best defenses in college football, ranking No. 5 in total defense, No. 6 in passing yards allowed, No. 31 in rushing yards allowed and No. 30 in scoring defense.

The Sooners are again led by an elite defensive line, led by EDGEs Taylor Wein and Adepoju Adebawore and interior defensive linemen David Stone and Jayden Jackson. They also have several depth pieces who have played well, like Jake Kreul, Danny Okoye, Bishop Thomas and Trent Wilson.

While all of those players have impacted the defense, Todd Bates said Jackson is the foundational piece.

"He’s just a solid foundational piece for our defense and can do everything well in the run game, and you know, just gives tremendous effort," Bates said. "Understands the game like a coach, and he gets other guys going too."

Jackson's value extends beyond his individual production, as his versatility and understanding of the game help set the tone for Oklahoma's defensive front. With Wein and Adebawore generating edge pressure and young players like Kreul continuing to develop, Jackson's presence gives the unit a reliable interior anchor. That combination of experience, depth and effort has helped the Sooners remain strong defensively despite the team's uneven start.