WVU DL T.J. Jackson Leads the Country in Key Defensive Stat

West Virginia hit a home run in the transfers portal with T.J. Jackson.

Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Every year a team has a chance to hit big in the portal or completely swing and miss. Through the first four games of the 2024 season, it appears West Virginia has a mixture of both. They haven't received quality play from the newcomers in the secondary, but boy, did they hit a home run on defensive lineman Jackson, or what?

Jackson didn't even start the first two games of the season, and yet he still leads the team in both tackles for loss (9) and sacks (3.5). An even further impressive stat? Jackson leads the entire country in quarterback pressures this season with 20, according to Pro Football Focus.

Leaders in QB Pressures this season💪 pic.twitter.com/tfVjffDxYf

— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 25, 2024

Twenty QB pressures on 99 pass snaps for the season equates to Jackson generating a QB pressure 20% of the time. That's absurdly good. The fact that he's not only new to the scheme but also undersized at 6'1", 282 pounds is what makes that number even more mind-boggling. He shouldn't be having this much success getting to the quarterback at that size, especially for a player still trying to feel comfortable within a new defense.

Jackson was named the Big 12 Conference's Newcomer of the Week following the loss to Pitt as he registered four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in that Backyard Brawl. If this continues, he'll be in a great position to win the Big 12's Newcomer of the Year Award.

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