Frogs snag Oklahoma grad transfer Mark Jackson, bolster defensive line

Oklahoma Sooners’ defensive end Mark Jackson is taking his talents three hours south, joining TCU Football as a graduate transfer for the 2020 season.

The former four star recruit out of Cibolo, TX spent the previous four seasons in Norman, but appeared in just four games in 2019. Playing both linebacker and defensive end, Jackson amassed 53 total tackles, eight tackles for loss and four sacks.

After playing in all 13 games in 2017 and appearing in ten in 2018, Jackson found himself a bit in Lincoln Riley’s dog house last year, and had to work to earn an active roster spot. He ended up playing in just four games — one per month — including the Sooners’ first round playoff loss to LSU. That enabled him to keep his redshirt and allowed for him to leave Norma as a graduate transfer and be immediately eligible for the Horned Frogs.

At 6’1” and 233 pounds, Jackson definitely profiles on the defensive line for TCU. Always talented, Jackson grew up in the eyes of Riley last fall, and could flourish in GP’s system. Patterson has often made more of talented, overlooked guys (see current NFL players like LJ Collier and Ben Banogu), and the head coaches’ nonsense ways might be exactly what Jackson needs. He certainly has the talent to be great, and the opportunity will be there on a unit that is very thin and very green at the moment.

Out of high school, Jackson was an Under Armor All American and an invitee to The Opening; he chose Oklahoma from 12 offers after originally committing to Texas A&M. Known as a speed-rusher as well as a solid defender against the run, Jackson immediately adds experience to a defensive line that is sorely lacking in it. Though he hasn’t quite performed at the level expected out of him as a recruit, Jackson has a second chance in a system that should be tailor-made for his skill set and with a coach who has a track record of getting the best out of players.

With Jackson in the fold, TCU is looking at a rotation featuring the graduate transfer, redshirt sophomore Ochaun Mathis — who many are expecting a breakout campaign from — senior Parker Workman, redshirt freshmen Thomas Armstrong and Earl Barquet, and sophomore Colt Ellison. There is talent, but after a disappointing 2019 campaign, especially on the defensive front, there will be a lot of eyeballs watching to see if they can perform at a high level.