[This is the 16th installment in our annual series where The-Ozone looks back on each member of the previous season’s freshman class and the impact they had as rookies, as well as the impact they could have during the upcoming season. Up next is defensive tackle Jaden McKenzie.]
Jaden McKenzie was a 3-star defensive tackle out of Wake Forest, North Carolina. He ended up ranked the No. 58 defensive tackle in the 2019 class and the No. 765 player overall. Ohio State offered him the summer prior to his senior season. Two days later, Clemson offered as well.
Despite over a half-dozen visits to in-state North Carolina, McKenzie ultimately signed with the Buckeyes.
In each of his final three years in high school, he produced at least 20 tackles for loss and nine sacks.
2019 Season
With upperclassmen like Jashon Cornell, Haskell Garrett, Antwuan Jackson, Robert Landers, and DaVon Hamilton already entrenched on the interior, there wasn’t a huge need for a true freshman to get involved. It also didn’t help that McKenzie had to deal with some injuries here and there as well. As a result, he redshirted as a true freshman, but did see action in two games.
Despite the lack of playing time, he still learned plenty.
“It’s been really fun, just the whole ride,” McKenzie said back in December. “Our training staff really did a great job helping me get better. It’s been great working with the veterans and learning from them. Those guys have been here a while. They have a lot of experience, so I think just having conversations with them on the regular helps me develop. They’re great guys and great leaders.”
Now What For Jaden McKenzie
Listed at 6-foot-2 and 290 pounds, McKenzie was an active defender in high school, frequently playing on the edge rather than the interior. That kind of athleticism is usually helpful at the three-technique defensive tackle position.
Assuming he is at the three-tech rather than nose tackle, he’ll have Haskell Garrett and Taron Vincent in front of him, and could be battling classmate Cormontae Hamilton, who moved over from tight end this winter.
Vincent missed all of last year, but did play a good deal as a true freshman in 2018. Garrett is now a senior, but McKenzie won’t necessarily need to wait until 2021 for his first crack in the rotation. We saw last year at nose tackle with Robert Landers, DaVon Hamilton, and Tommy Togiai that defensive line coach Larry Johnson will rotate three guys if that third guy is worth rotating.
As for what people will see when McKenzie does finally get on the field?
“A hard worker. A relentless worker,” he said. “I think that’s what I strive to be. Just a hard worker in general. I think I’m a good run stopper. I’m still working on my pass rush, but with Coach Johnson, it’s bound to get there.”
Good feeling here.
I see a repeat rise of Jaden into the next Davon Hamilton. Davon was a relentless worker who refused to quit and just developed into a great defensive tackle. Jaden is going to be terrific.