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Aggies DL McKinnley Jackson Named To Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List

Jackson is one of several players from the Southeastern Conference to garner praise from the Outland Trophy voters entering the 2023 season.

Cole Thompson

Aggies DL McKinnley Jackson Named To Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List
Aggies DL McKinnley Jackson Named To Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List /
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McKinnley Jackson is the enforcer of Texas A&M's defensive line. By the time the 2023 season comes to a close, he might be a national household name. 

Jackson was named to the Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List, as announced by the Football Writers Association of America Tuesday morning. The award is given annually to the nation's most outstanding interior lineman. 

A Preseason All-SEC second-team member, Jackson elected to return to College Station for his senior season after flirting with potentially going pro. The Lucedale, Miss, native is coming off a breakout junior campaign where he registered 37 tackles and 7.0 tackles for loss in eight games. 

Jackson was named a team captain by Jimbo Fisher last season and has been a consistent playmaker in the trenches since arriving on campus in 2020. His best game came against Ole Miss, where he recorded a career-high in tackles (12) to go along with 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack. 

For his efforts, Jackson earned the team's Aggie Defense Leadership and Defensive MVP honors at the annual team banquet in December. 

"We've got a really good leadership group coming back, getting McKinnley coming back, getting Ainias [Smith] to come back, getting Max Wright to come back," Fisher said at SEC Media Days last month in Nashville, Tenn. "There's a ton of guys in that group that came back. Layden Robinson, [is] a huge one up front. All those guys." 

Jackson headlines the group of returning defensive talent, including edge rusher Fadil Diggs, linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, and safety Demani Richardson, for Year 2 under D.J. Durkin's play design. He senior also stars as the veteran of a promising defensive linemen unit which features sophomore Walter Nolen, sophomore Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy and junior Shemar Turner. 

Last season, A&M's defense ranked No. 1 in coverage (156.2 yards allowed per game) but 123rd nationally in run support (209 yards allowed per game). Another year in Durkin's system, along with more experience, should do wonders for players like Nolen, Brownlow-Dindy, sophomore Enai White and sophomore LT Overton. 

The recipient of the 2023 Outland Trophy will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN in December. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee in Omaha, Neb., on Jan. 10, 2024.

The Aggies open the season against New Mexico on Sept. 6 at Kyle Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. 

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Cole Thompson
COLE THOMPSON

Cole Thompson is a sports writer and columnist covering the NFL and college sports for SI's Fan Nation. A 2016 graduate from The University of Alabama, follow him on Twitter @MrColeThompson

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