Cats Illustrated publisher Justin Rowland is counting down his picks for the top five Kentucky players on the roster going into the 2024 season.

We started yesterday with No. 5, Barion Brown, a receiver who took over the Cats' final two games of the season in 2023.

No. 4 puts us on the defensive side of the ball, which is where most of these players line up.

Inside linebacker D'Eryk Jackson makes the list at No. 4.

Jackson played alongside Trevin Wallace, who was picked in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. While Wallace drew a lot of attention because of his athleticism and ability to explode with great speed, Jackson was Kentucky's leading tackler. He averaged 6.85 tackles per game last year, just more than Wallace's 6.67 tackles per game. UK defensive backs ranked third and fourth on the team in tackles, so Jackson and Wallace cleaned up a lot of the action in the middle of the field before it got to those secondary defenders.

Jackson has started 23 games and has played in 39 over his Kentucky career, which dates back to that COVID-impacted 2020 season. While Jackson is going into his senior season because he was on the roster for that 2020 season he could have a sixth year of eligibility in 2025 if he so chooses.

He's a player who has demonstrated toughness and competitiveness throughout his Kentucky career. Before his redshirt freshman season in 2021, Jackson tore an Achilles but battled back and got on the field in late October, in spite of the initial forecast calling for a longer timetable.

While Deone Walker and Trevin Wallace were the specimens that eyeballs immediately find on film, Jackson puts himself in the right position to make plays, has a knack for finishing those plays out, and has a high football IQ. He had eight tackles for loss last season, fourth on the team in a year when Kentucky was better in that category. So we're talking about not only Kentucky's leading tackler, but someone who made as many tackles for loss as J.J. Weaver.

He chipped in with two sacks on the season. Jackson intercepted a pass against Vanderbilt which kept the Commodores at bay and then he brought an interception back for a touchdown in Kentucky's 24-3 win against Mississippi State. He caused Louisville quarterback Jack Plummer to fumble and gained a key possession in that regular season finale.

For his overall impact in the middle of the defense and his proven ability to make plays, Jackson holds down the No. 4 spot on our list of the best Kentucky football players in 2024. He doesn't jump out quite like Barion Brown or Deone Walker, in the same way, but the more you watch his game the more you appreciate him.