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Notre Dame Football Recruiting

2018 Four-Star WR Bryson Jackson Will See Notre Dame in the Fall

July 30, 2017
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2018 Kingwood Park (Texas) wide receiver Bryson Jackson holds offers from just about every major program in the country, but on Thursday he added a baseball offer from Notre Dame. The 6-foot-1, 170-pounder one of the best centerfielders in Texas, and both Notre Dame programs want the speedster on the roster.

“I did pick up an offer from the baseball team,” Jackson told Irish Sports Daily. “I am working hard and trying to craft my baseball game too. In school, I ended up finishing with a .303 batting average. Out here in the summer, the competition jumps up, and that’s what I like because it lets me know where I am standing.

“I have been killing the ball. I have six home runs on the summer, and I am batting at .312 right now. I have about 20 stolen bags, so it’s been a good summer.”

Jackson is a legitimate candidate to get drafted in the 2018 MLB Draft, but he’s keeping all his options open for the time being.  

“I will for sure be playing both sports in college,” stated Jackson. “At the end of the day, the colleges making my top list are the schools giving me a chance to play both sports. I don’t want to put anything away this early in my life.”

The Houston native will be well versed in time management when he gets to college, as balancing both sports in high school has proven to be difficult, but it’s something Jackson has embraced.

“I would tell anyone that it’s hard to balance it and make everything fit,” Jackson explained. “I want to give everyone a fair amount of time. When it’s football season, it’s all football. Baseball season, I am grinding baseball.

“I am still doing my football workouts in the morning and night during baseball, but I am focusing mainly on baseball because I want to be fair to both of my coaches. I want to let them know I am 100 percent bought in during the season. It’s hard, but it can be done if you put your mind to it.”

Despite his busy schedule, Jackson has started to narrow things down in his recruitment and knows four schools he will use an official visit on this fall.  

“LSU, Notre Dame, and TCU are recruiting me hard,” said Jackson. “Nebraska and Oklahoma are up there pushing too.

“I have a list of schools for my official visits. LSU, Miami, Notre Dame, and TCU will get officials. I am trying to fit the last one in at Ole Miss or Texas A&M. I am waiting to pick the last one.”

Notre Dame is a program Jackson communicates with on a daily basis, and a tag-team approach is paying off.

“I have been speaking with Del Alexander and Brian Kelly,” Jackson stated. “Coach Kelly has said my speed is what he needs and he likes how hard I work. He wants a playmaker, and he wants to get me up for a visit.”

Alexander is in his first year in South Bend as receivers coach, but he has picked up on how to recruit for Notre Dame quickly. The message to Jackson is a simple one, and it’s resonating with the four-star prospect.

“He’s a straight forward guy,” Jackson said of Alexander. “He talks about Notre Dame not being the place for someone that needs to go to parties and stuff. He gives it how it is. He said Notre Dame is the place for people who want to be something in life and focus on getting their education.

“He’s a good guy and tells me everything truthfully. Coach Alexander is a great person too.”

On his official visits, Jackson will be paying close attention to many things, but the people he encounters at each school could be the tipping point.  

“I am mainly looking for a great environment,” said Jackson. “That’s going to be a big factor because I want to feel comfortable wherever I am. The coaching staff is big, and I am very close with my coaches. Every single coach I have had, I have been able to call them anytime of the day, and they are there for me.

“The academic side is important for me too. I want to be able to graduate because that means a lot of my mom and dad. Other than that, I just want to be in a position to make it to the next level.”


 
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