Early this season, it looks like the Ohio State Buckeyes have found a long-term stud at running back.
True freshman Bo Jackson is off to an excellent start to his collegiate career, earning the highest PFF of any true freshman this season. He is currently graded at a 91.0.
Highest Graded True Freshman This Season:
🌰 Bo Jackson, Ohio State: 91.0@OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/6eYho2YqJG
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 25, 2025
Jackson was a four-star recruit coming out of high school. Coming out of Villa Angela-St. Joseph high school in Cleveland, he was considered the 11th best running back in the nation.
Jackson wasn’t even Ohio State’s highest recruited running back, with the honor going to the 4th ranked prospect Anthony Rogers. It’s clear Jackson impressed from the moment he stepped on campus, earning a chance to contribute his freshman season.
Jackson didn’t play in week one against Texas, but since then, he’s been an electric, big-play threat for the Buckeyes.
In his first game against Grambling State, Jackson carried the ball nine times for 108 yards and a touchdowns, averaging 12 yards a carry.
Then against Ohio, he did the same thing, averaging 12 yards a carry again. This time he took nine carries for 109 yards. He also caught two passes for 21 yards.
The Buckeyes currently run a three-back committee, splitting time between Jackson, CJ Donaldson and James Peoples.
Despite having the fewest carries of any back, 18, Jackson is the team’s leading rusher at 217 yards.
Donaldson has the most carries for the Buckeyes this season at 33, and has run for 151 yards and two touchdowns. He had a 4.6 yards per carry average this season. Peoples has carried the ball 25 times for 126 yards, averaging right around 5 yards per carry. He is yet to score a touchdown this season.
Ohio State has done a good job working each running back in based on situation and matchup this season. Donaldson, who is a big, powerhouse runner, has been the guy on early downs and in redzone packages. Peoples has offered more value in the passing game, and has been a secondary grinding option behind Donaldson. Jackson has been a nice rotation piece to turn small holes into field-flipping runs.
Jackson will need to prove a few things before he can earn the RB1 title. He needs to prove to be a more consistent threat in the passing attack, including as a pass blocker, as well as proving he can stay healthy during a long Big Ten schedule.
As the season goes on, Jackson should expect to see his carries continue to rise. The Buckeyes will likely run all three running backs throughout the season, but with Jackson averaging over 12 yards per carry, it seems likely head coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline will want to see what he can do with more consistent reps.