The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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46 THE WOLVERINE OCTOBER 2018 COMMITMENT PROFILE I t can be hard for Michigan to land coveted prospects from Califor- nia, but that's exactly what Jim Har- baugh and his staff did with Oakley (Calif.) Freedom three-star all-pur- pose back Giles Jackson. The 5-9, 183-pounder is considered the No. 7 all-purpose back in the country, and had a top group consisting of Or- egon, Oregon State and USC. Whenever U-M battles programs like that for California kids, it doesn't usually prevail, but as Jackson's re- cruitment progressed he realized that Ann Arbor was the place for him. "At first, it was Oregon," he admit- ted. "The coaching staff at Michigan just kept reaching out and having constant communication with me. "They really made me a priority, and I realized that that was going to be a better spot for me." An academically driven young man, Jackson loves what a U-M de- gree means. He also got a family feel during his June official visit. Those situations, coupled with the kind of football tradition Michigan has made a commitment to the Wolverines the right move for him. "The education at Michigan was a huge part for me, and it was just the coaching staff beyond that," he said. "They were extremely nice and really made me feel wanted. I talked with coach Jim Harbaugh the most out of anyone on the staff, and that was unique. "Most schools just usually use the area coach, but with Michigan it was the head coach and that was a big deal. I talked with Coach Mac [Jim McEl- wain] every now and then as well." Michigan has a knack for playing versatile athletes in multiple roles, and Rivals.com national analyst Adam Gorney thinks they'll continue that trend with Jackson. "There is no doubt Jackson can put up huge numbers — he had more than 2,000 all-purpose yards and nearly 30 touchdowns in his junior season," Gorney stated. "I love his versatility, and that's where he's so special. "He can play running back, but he's best at catching passes out of the back- field or lining up directly in the slot and making things happen that way." Jackson is happy to have his re- cruitment behind him and is already close with several fellow commits. "I talk to the rest of the class a lot," he said. "During my official visit a lot of them were out there, and they were all super cool to talk to. [Tennessee running back] Eric Gray was there. [California running back] Zach Char- bonnet, and also [Nevada quarterback] Cade McNamara was there visiting, too. He's my seven-on-seven quarter- back, so I know him pretty well. "Him being committed was a huge factor. He recruited me a lot as soon as he committed. He's been telling me that Michigan might be the move, and I've been looking at them ever since. I don't know Zach real well, but we bonded pretty well during the visit. We were together most of the time." Jackson also plans to do some re- cruiting of his own. Two of Michi- gan's biggest offensive targets also reside in California, and Jackson knows both of them. "I'm going after [Concord De La Salle four-star tight end] Isaiah Fos- key hard," Jackson said with a laugh. "He lives right up the street from me so I'm going to be on him hard. He tweeted at me right after I committed so he's paying attention. "I'm just going to tell him that Michigan is the right move. It's ev- erything you want in a school. You can get a great education, and he can probably play early. "I'll also be on [Orange Lutheran four-star wide receiver] Kyle Ford hard, too. He was actually my room- mate at The Opening. He's a huge receiver for any school and getting him at Michigan would be great. I plan on trying to get him." As a junior, Jackson played in 12 games and ran for 1,586 yards and 22 touchdowns while averaging 7.2 yards per carry. He also caught 21 passes for 324 yards and five scores. Jackson also had a kickoff return for a score on his way to 2,288 all-purpose yards. His sophomore season he racked up 842 receiving yards and 13 scores. After his impressive junior year, he was a first-team all-league selection and a second-team All-Bay Area pick. — Brandon Brown U-M Dips Into California To Land Electric Athlete Giles Jackson Rivals.com ranks Jackson as the No. 43 player in California and the No. 7 all-purpose back in the country. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM FILM EVALUATION Strengths: Giles Jackson is an offensive weapon. He's listed as an all-purpose back, but Michigan intends to use him as a slot receiver and in the return game. He's extremely sudden, quick and fast, and is nearly impossible to contain in the open field. He's got fantastic hands and is dynamic with the ball in his hands. Areas Of Improvement: Size has always been the knock on Jackson. He's put together at 5-9, 183 pounds, but as a wide receiver that's obviously on the small side. He makes up for it with his quickness and ability to get open. He'll have to be exceptional in every other area as a pass catcher at Michigan. Adding some weight and strength would also help him battle through the wear and tear of a Big Ten schedule. Michigan Player Comparison: Because of Michigan's history of traditional offenses, there haven't been a lot of players on the roster like Jackson. If used as expected, he could be Desmond Howard light. If he can sniff Howard levels of success, U-M fans would obviously be ecstatic. Like Howard, Jackson will play receiver, be a weapon in the return game and is expected to be used on reverses and jet sweeps. Howard is obviously one of the greatest Wolverines to ever wear the winged helmet, and Jackson is still in high school, but he's built similarly and will be used like Howard was. — Analysis from TheWolverine.com