Brennan Jackson Bio
Brennan Jackson (born October 14, 2000) is an American professional football linebacker for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and listed at 263 pounds, Jackson wears jersey No. 54 and serves as a defensive player for the Raiders. Before joining the professional ranks, he played college football for the Washington State Cougars, where he developed into one of the Pac-12 Conference’s most disruptive defensive linemen before transitioning to linebacker at the next level.
Early Life and Background
Brennan Jackson was born on October 14, 2000, in Montgomery, Ohio, and grew up in the United States with a passion for football. He attended Great Oak High School in Temecula, California, where he played on both sides of the ball. On offense, Jackson caught 12 passes for 193 yards. On defense, he was a relentless presence, racking up 150 tackles with 21 going for a loss, six sacks, two pass deflections, a fumble recovery, and three forced fumbles during his prep career.
Jackson’s all-around skill set at Great Oak attracted interest from several college programs. He ultimately committed to play college football at Washington State over other schools such as Arizona, California, and Hawaii, choosing to develop his game in the Pac-12 Conference.
Path to American Football
Jackson arrived at Washington State in 2018 and spent six seasons developing within the Cougars’ defensive scheme. As a freshman in 2019, he recorded one tackle and half a tackle for loss, easing into the collegiate level. By the 2020 season opener, he had already shown flashes of his future impact, racking up seven tackles and half a sack in a 38–28 win over Oregon State.
Throughout his college career, Jackson steadily built a reputation as a high-motor edge defender. He finished the 2020 season with 19 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble, then built on those numbers in subsequent seasons. By his junior and senior campaigns, he was recognized as one of the conference’s top defensive players, earning back-to-back second-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2022 and 2023, and a spot on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list, an award given to the nation’s best defensive player.
Brennan Jackson Career
Early Career (2019–2021)
Jackson’s early college seasons were defined by gradual development. He appeared sparingly in 2019 and continued to add strength and technique as a sophomore in the shortened 2020 campaign. That growth carried into the 2021 season, when he produced 43 tackles with 6.5 going for a loss, 4.5 sacks, two pass deflections, an interception, and a fumble recovery.
Several standout games during that stretch foreshadowed his pro potential. In week five of the 2021 season, Jackson posted four tackles, two sacks, and a pass deflection, helping Washington State beat California 21–6, and became the first Cougars player to be named the Pac-12 defensive lineman of the week. The following week, he recorded his first career interception off a tipped ball thrown by Chance Nolan in a 31–24 win over Oregon State, and the week after that he tallied six tackles, a sack, and the game-winning fumble recovery in a 34–31 victory over Stanford, earning the weekly conference honor again.
College Breakthrough (2022–2023)
Jackson’s 2022 season cemented his status as one of the Pac-12’s premier defensive players. In week eleven, he recorded five tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble on quarterback Trenton Bourguet, helping Washington State beat Arizona State 28–18 and become bowl eligible, which earned him Pac-12 defensive lineman of the week honors for a third time. He finished 2022 with 41 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, six sacks, three pass deflections, and a forced fumble, and was named second-team All-Pac-12.
Entering 2023, Jackson was again named second-team All-Pac-12 and added a place on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list, reinforcing his reputation as a top NFL prospect. His two-year run of conference recognition helped position him as one of the most productive edge defenders in Washington State history.
Las Vegas Raiders Era (2025–Present)
Jackson entered the NFL when he was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the fifth round, 154th overall, of the 2024 NFL draft. He spent his rookie season with the Rams before being waived on August 26, 2025, as part of final roster cuts. The very next day, on August 27, 2025, Jackson was claimed off waivers by the Las Vegas Raiders, giving him a fresh opportunity to contribute on defense.
Through the early portion of his Raiders tenure, Jackson has appeared in regular season action and recorded 6 total tackles and 1 pass deflection, working to carve out a role within the Las Vegas linebacker corps. His combination of size, length, and prior pass-rushing production gives the Raiders a developmental edge rusher to mold into a rotational defender.
Notable Events and Milestones
Jackson’s career has been marked by several signature moments, including his Pac-12 defensive lineman of the week awards, his first career interception against Oregon State, and his game-winning fumble recovery versus Stanford. His selection in the 2024 NFL draft and his subsequent move to the Las Vegas Raiders represent the most recent milestones in his young professional journey.
Brennan Jackson Career Wins
As a defensive player, Brennan Jackson’s statistical production serves as the primary measure of his on-field impact rather than traditional win totals. Across his time at Washington State and into the NFL, he has been credited with multiple sacks, tackles for loss, pass deflections, forced fumbles, and an interception, reflecting his versatility as an edge defender and linebacker.
College and NFL Highlights
During his college career, Jackson was a two-time second-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2022 and 2023, three-time Pac-12 defensive lineman of the week, and a member of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list. His most memorable single-game performance came against California in 2021, when his four tackles, two sacks, and a pass deflection powered a 21–6 Washington State victory and made him the first Cougars player to earn the conference’s weekly defensive lineman honor.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his conference recognition, Jackson contributed to key Washington State victories over Oregon State, Stanford, and Arizona State, including the game-winning fumble recovery against Stanford and a disruptive performance that helped the Cougars become bowl eligible against Arizona State in 2022.
Brennan Jackson Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Publicly available information about Brennan Jackson’s parents and extended family is limited. He was raised in the United States and grew up developing his football skills in Temecula, California, after being born in Montgomery, Ohio, but detailed family background is not widely documented.
Personal Life
Details about Brennan Jackson’s marital status, spouse, and children are not publicly confirmed in available sources. He maintains an active presence on social media, including accounts on X and Instagram, where fans can follow his professional football career.
2025 Season Performance
Brennan Jackson’s 2025 NFL season began with roster uncertainty after he was waived by the Los Angeles Rams on August 26, 2025, as part of final cuts. He quickly found a new home when the Las Vegas Raiders claimed him off waivers the following day, ensuring he would spend the season on an active NFL roster rather than on the open market.
With the Raiders, Jackson has begun to build his professional resume, registering 6 total tackles and 1 pass deflection through the early portion of the campaign. His prior pass-rushing production at Washington State, including 11 total sacks across his college career, gives the Raiders a developmental edge presence to cultivate within their linebacker rotation.
Looking ahead, Jackson’s outlook in Las Vegas hinges on continued growth in pass-rushing technique, run defense, and special teams reliability. A strong finish to the 2025 season could establish him as a core rotational defender for the Raiders and a building block for the team’s defensive front in the years to come.