Although the 2024 Tulsa defensive line isn't likely to resemble that of the Doomsday Defense, it still can be a good defensive line.

And the line, like the defense as a whole, should be improved from 2023.

"Last year we weren't a very good tackling team," second-year Tulsa coach Kevin Wilson said of his entire defense. "We've got some good young D-lineman. I like our front seven. We've got a chance. Is it dominating? No."

Leading the way for TU's defensive line are its defensive ends, where there is returning and new talent.

Perhaps the gem of the transfer portal will be Myles Jackson (6-2, 250, Sr.), a JACK who transferred from Indiana. Jackson already impressed during spring practice, and is being thought of as the guy to succeed Ben Kopenski's standout year last season for TU. Kopenski was an OSU transfer who ended up with 8.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss, and was fourth in tackles with 52.

"A lot of similar traits to Ben, not that he's going to be Ben, not that he's going to be better or worse," said Wilson. "Great character, great practice player, great work ethic. Will he have the same year? I don't know. It's going to be hard to do what Ben did."

Like Kopenski from OSU, Jackson comes to TU looking for more playing time. He could be one of those players who just needs more time to excel. But unlike Kopenski, a former walk-on, Jackson was a highly-touted recruit who signed with UCLA out of high school.

While playing 12 games for Indiana last season, Jackson was ninth on the team in tackles with 26, including 2 for losses and 1 sack. He had 18 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks in 2022 for IU. Before that, Jackson was at UCLA, where he had 6 tackles and a sack in 7 games in 2021. He blew out his knee in his first college game in 2020.

Jackson is playing JACK, a position where defensive ends in a 4-2-5 scheme sometimes drops off the line into coverage. Wilson talked about his defensive ends, in which JACK is included.

"There's really no difference between the JACK position and the other position where Owen Ostroski is playing," Wilson said. "I think the bulk of that play there will be Myles Jackson, Owen Ostroski, Vontroy Malone and Zach Neilsen. That's a good position."

Ostroski (6-2, 262, Jr.) played well last season in his first season as a starter, compiling 31 tackles, with 10 tackles for loss and 4 sacks. As a redshirt freshman in 2022, Ostroski had 23 tackles, with 2.5 sacks.