Oregon LB Devon Jackson eager for 2025 season

Published 4:30 pm Tuesday, July 29, 2025

He weighs a tick under 240 pounds, stands six feet, two inches tall and says he runs 23 mph in a straight-line sprint.

Oregon Ducks linebacker Devon Jackson’s athletic testing numbers are closer to Captain America’s than they are to the average college linebacker, and Jackson has no need to fudge the numbers. He knows them by heart, reciting them like an extension of his name when asked about offseason weight and speed training. In fact, Jackson would probably be the first to tell you that one detail — his body fat percentage — was omitted from the gaudy figures. It’s 10%, which, despite being one-third of the American male average, somehow feels like a lowball figure for The Athletic’s 2023 “Freaks List” alum.

While Jackson recites his athletic testing like a badge of honor (and one that he’s had since he ran a 10.54 100 meters as a Nebraska high schooler), the brevity with which he rattles them off is telling. Jackson sounds far more interested in becoming “Devon Jackson: starting linebacker for the Oregon Ducks” than he is in being “Devon Jackson: freak athlete” heading into his redshirt junior season.

“The biggest change is definitely locking in in my install,” Jackson said about his offseason focus. “Weight is going to come over time, we have a great staff that’s going to put the weight on us (and get) us faster and stronger. But when the game slows down (because you’re prepared mentally), that’s when the game is going to click.”

In the modern era of college football, fourth-year players of Jackson’s recruiting pedigree with one career start don’t exist. Others would’ve transferred for a better opportunity at playing time long ago, rather than working as a third linebacker and special teamer like Jackson did during the 2024 season.

The tattoo on Jackson’s left leg serves as his reminder of why he’s an outlier, the same way his height, weight and speed do.

“Face everything and rise,” Jackson said, explaining the ink. “No matter what happens, you always got to come out on top… I really didn’t see playing time until last year. I know we’re in the portal era, like, you can go run and go transfer, could potentially see if the grass is greener somewhere else.

“But I’m the type of person to stick it out. That’s why I’ve been here for four years — and you don’t really see that in places. I’m that type of person, like, I’m going to finish.”

Finish. Jackson used the word about a half-dozen times in his 10-minute appearance at Oregon’s 2025 media day.

It borders on synonymous with Oregon head coach Dan Lanning’s “double down” theme for the Ducks 2025 season, and speaks to the team’s mood at large. No one is more ready to forget last season than them. And that’s true not just for their College Football Playoff loss at the Rose Bowl to Ohio State, but also their Big Ten Conference Championship trophy, spotless regular-season record and the six weeks they spent atop of the CFP rankings.

And in Jackson’s case, it’s putting the 47 tackles (three for loss), 1.5 sacks and forced fumble he logged spelling fellow ‘backers Bryce Boettcher and Jeffrey Bassa in 2024 behind him.

“It doesn’t matter what we did last year,” Jackson said. “The fact is we didn’t finish and we’ve got to finish this year. So myself, (Boettcher) and everybody else in the linebacker room, like, we’ve got to hold to that. We’ve got to finish… We can’t take any of those wins with us. I can’t take any of those tackles with me. I can’t take any of that production into this year. It’s a new year, a new team, and there’s a new team that has got to go to the top.”

While Boettcher returns for the 2025 season, Bassa’s departure for the NFL opens up a starting spot in the middle of Lanning and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi’s defense. Despite missing spring practices with an undisclosed injury and reports that he may be limited precautionally in the early goings of fall, Jackson says he’s “fine” and eager to win a starting role.

The athleticism is there. He has added weight, gained experience at the position and in the scheme. Now, Devon Jackson gets the opportunity to put the pieces together and finish.

“Go out there and prove myself right,” Jackson said of his goals for the upcoming season. “I know who I am. And I just trust that I know who I am and don’t try to be somebody different. But I know I can be physical in the run, good in the pass (coverage game). Whatever you need me to be on defense, I know I can be that.”