One to Watch California: Bishop O’Dowd 2017 DE/TE Jordan Jackson Seeing Recruiting Interest Grow

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

The Golden State has long been known for producing top next level talent but over the years the prevailing thought was most of that talent was coming out of southern California. The fertile areas of Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego are still mass producing amazing Division-I talent but college coaches have started to mine the budding fertile areas of Sacramento and the Bay area. One of the schools helping bring college coaches to Oakland is Bishop O’Dowd.

Most college football fans take for granted how special it is to have a Division-I player on a given high school roster. While thousands go onto the next level every year, hundreds of thousands are putting on gear and cleats every Friday night in hopes of taken their abilities to a college program. Nothing is given and every offer should be valued as a big offer.

When the 2016 class signed, O’Dowd gave college football 4-star linebacker Camilo Eifler (Washington). The Dragons are a program on the rise after completing a 7-6 season in 2015 with another 4-star on the roster in offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker along with rising talents in defensive back Je’Quari Godfrey and defensive end Jordan Jackson. Godfrey has four offers from Cal, Hawaii, Nevada, and Wyoming and Jackson received his first offer from Hawaii on Feb. 9.

Jackson has the physical measurements of a soon to be collegiate strongside defensive end, or even a next level tight end. Listed at 6’3”, 232 pounds, Jackson was a two-way starter for the Dragons in 2015 after coming up four games into his sophomore season to the varsity level. Jackson’s stats do not jump off the page with 23 tackles, 6.5 sacks, double-digit tackles for a loss, and two forced fumbles, but much of his game is predicated on playing defensive end technically sound. Stats were not kept on quarterback hurries and pressures, knockdowns, or the amount of plays he turned inside so linebackers could eat up the stat line.

In addition to his offer from Hawaii, Jackson is receiving interest from Texas Tech, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV, Yale, Brown, Columbia, Army, UCLA, Cal-Poly, and Washington. A solid college camp circuit coupled with another strong senior season could see his offer totals soar into the double-digit range.

In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview, I sat down with the emerging Oakland talent covering his junior season, offseason goals, and recruiting interests.

Interview

Jordan, you are really starting to come into your own on the field. You had a solid junior season for O’Dowd. What are some of the things you improved upon from your sophomore year to the end of your junior campaign?

“I would say I got better at my run defense.  My sophomore year I was playing at 185 pounds. It was hard to defend the run against linemen twice my size. I gained 40 pounds in the offseason. That was a huge contribution to run my defense. Another thing, I’ve maintained my speed. When you add weight it can be tough to maintain speed. I worked with a track coach in the offseason working on improving my speed and maintaining what I had.”

What are your strengths on the field as a defensive end?

“As a defensive end my biggest thing is holding the edge, not letting them get outside, and getting the running backs to cut up the field. I do a good job of covering the outside making sure there is no whole to run there. Another thing, my pass rushing moves. I’ll fake inside and jump outside, it works every time. I’m always ready to jump up and block a pass. I stay in my rush lanes while getting to the quarterback. I don’t leave gaps for a quarterback to escape.”

Did you earn any individual honors at the end of your junior season?

“I was second team All-NCS underclassman.”

What are your goals for the 2016 football season?

“My goal is to be a more versatile player on the inside and outside. I’m working on speed and strength on the field along with my leverage. I’m getting better at staying low and being a better tackler. I started playing football my freshman year. I was playing basketball before football so I was use to being tall and standing straight up. The differences were a challenge for me at first. For my senior season, I’m working on staying low, becoming faster, and a more versatile player. I want to be a player who can play multiple positions.”

You just touched on this a little bit but where all might we see you play during the 2016 season?

“I know for sure I will be playing tight end. I will be paying both ways. On defense last year, sometimes I would play inside, I think that will continue. Playing inside there are always double-teams, again, working on having to stay low. Playing tight end, that is where speed comes into play. I do see myself playing tight end, defensive end, defensive tackle, and maybe some outside linebacker. We had a senior there last year, I’d like to be that next guy up for the coaches.”

Have you maxed out in any of the staples in football like bench, squat, or power clean lately?

“I just recently maxed out in bench at 260. During the middle of the season I was at 225 but could not get past that hump. It was really frustrating. After the season was over, I just jumped in my strength. My squat max is at 350. My dead lift is at 600, up from 455 from last year. I have not maxed out in power clean lately but I think we will do that in the next couple of weeks.”

What is the best 40-yard dash time you have posted?

“I ran a 4.81 last summer.”

You mentioned working with a track coach on your speed. What are you aiming to hit in your 40-yard dash this summer?

“I want to run in the 4.6 range. My track coach has helped me immediately shave time off my 40. I think I can do it.”

Do you know which camps you will attend this offseason?

“I’m going to an Arizona camp in San Diego and the Nike Opening regional in Oakland. I’ll know more when we get closer to summertime. I went to Stanford and Cal last year, both are probable this year. I went to a lot of satellite camps. I went to Michigan in Fresno. Coach (Jim) Harbaugh was there, that was a great experience. I tried to go to as many as I could. I went to Oregon State’s camp. That was cool. Probably be some of the same camps again this year.”

How did the Hawaii offer come about for you?

“It kind of came out of nowhere. Their wide receiver coach (Kefense Hynson) followed me one day. We started talking and it was out of the blue. He’s from the Bay area and used to go to St. Mary’s. We play St. Mary’s a lot. We were talking, talking about grades and GPA, and he asked me about Hawaii. I’ve never been. Later he told me they were going to offer after talking to my head coach (Kaufman). My head coach told me they were going to offer. He told me to call them. They offered and I was really excited. I sent him a thank you letter. The head coach (Nick Rolovich) got it and posted it on Twitter. He said it is special when a recruit sends a letter back. I thought that was really cool.”

That does show a lot of character to write a coach back thanking him for the offer. Have you taken any unofficial visits yet?

“Yes. I’ve taken visits to UCLA and USC. I want to go to Washington. I went to Notre Dame. That was a great experience.”

How did your visit to UCLA go?

“It was great. I went and saw the section dedicated to John Wooden. There was an entire room of trophies. Their academics portion was off the chain.”

How was your visit to USC?

“They are rivals with UCLA. I told a UCLA guy that I was going to USC next and he said, “What school is that?” I thought that was funny. USC was cool. The classmates and alumni are close. The “Fight On” motto holds something. They are a close nit family there. They have a really good atmosphere there. They have an awesome film program there too.”

Do you have any unofficial visits lined up?

“I’m going to Hawaii on April 23 for their Junior Day.”

How is everything going in the classroom?

“I have a 3.24 GPA. I’m trying to get all of those B-pluses into A’s. All of those grades are on the verge of A-minus.”

Have you taken the ACT or SAT yet?

“No. I’m wanting to take both in the next couple of months.”

What do you want to major in when you go to college?

“I want to major in a science. I’m thinking forensic science. I watch a lot of TV shows with crime scene investigations. I like finding out how did it happen. I like that kind of stuff. I like marine biology or any kind of biology. I know Hawaii has a really awesome marine biology program.”

Are you playing any other sports for Bishop O’Dowd?

“No. I workout with the track coach in the offseason but I am focused on football.”

What is your favorite part of playing football?

“I like the thrill of making a big play. A third down and 10 – getting a sack on the quarterback. That is an awesome feeling. I like doing something great for my teammates – getting a big block for a running back, an interception, or a tackle. I like the relationship you have with your teammates. If you don’t have a good relationship you will not function as a unit. Even when you make a big individual play you should celebrate with your teammates. Your teammates are the reason why you are able to make these plays.”

Jordan, thanks for your time today. Good luck with the upcoming camps and have fun during your visit to Hawaii.

“Thank you.”

Photo credit: twitter.com; Nick Rolovich posts Jordan’s thank you letter.

Photo credit: Jackson family; Jordan Jackson at Notre Dame.

Photo credit: 308foto.com; No. 80 Jordan Jackson closes in on a sack.

Photo credit:  308foto.com; No. 80 Jordan slips past the right tackle.