Gators signee Ja'Keem Jackson continues to surge in the rankings, passing Cormani McClain
Over the past 12 months, all Ja’Keem Jackson has done is climb the rankings and boost his stock nationally.
The Kissimmee (Fla.) Osceola cornerback was initially in the back end of the On300, climbed into the top 150, and then broke into the top 100 in late November. On3 has always ranked him the highest among the four major recruiting services. The Florida signee has intriguing length with a wingspan over 6-foot-5 and also ran a 10.9 100M in the spring.
Now, after being labeled a “stock up” prospect following his time at the Under Armour All-America Game, Jackson has made a splash in the rankings once again, climbing 51 spots overall.
According to the final On300 rankings, Jackson is now the No. 40 player regardless of position. He is the No. 3-ranked cornerback as well, which is a better ranking positionally and nationally than Cormani McClain. The Miami commit dropped 29 spots to No. 46 overall. Ohio State signees Jermaine Matthews and Calvin-Simpson Hunt are the only cornerbacks ranked higher than Jackson.
Charles Power, On3’s Director of Scouting and Rankings, recently explained why Jackson continues to rise nationally.
“Jackson looked to have one of the higher upsides among the cornerback group at Under Armour. The Kissimmee (Fla.) Osceola product brings plus size, length, athleticism and ball skills to the table.
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“Jackson’s skill set was evident in Orlando, where he had the best total week of all cornerbacks on Team Speed. He was a Top Performer on Day Three, after turning in a strong afternoon in coverage. Jackson’s play was particularly encouraging considering his lack of experience as a corner after spending much of his career on offense.
“Jackson has the look of a player who could take off with further coaching and development at the college level, but he’s already a very good player at this stage.”
Why the Gators won out for Ja’Keem Jackson
“The trust and everything, and coach Napier too; we had a close connection,” Ja’Keem Jackson said last month. “I can’t wait for coach Raymond to develop me and we’ll see how far I make it. I’m going to play outside corner. I think I fit very well. They were telling me my strengths go with their playbook, so I feel I should be good.
“I already knew (I was going to Florida). I was just taking all my visits and making sure Florida was the right place. Miami came to my school a lot of times and did a home visit too, but I was still already locked in with Florida.”
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