Kearis Jackson carries leadership with him wherever he goes

Georgia senior wide receiver Kearis Jackson was named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team earlier this week for the impact that he has had during his career both on and off the football field. As one of 11 players from across the country chosen, Jackson was honored, but it was easy to see that he wasn’t just doing it for the glory.

“Being able to be on the Allstate Goods Works Hands team is an honor for one, for my family, and also for this university as well,” Jackson explained. “Being one of the 11 chosen, I think it’s out of the FBS, being one of the 11 chosen means a lot to me. It just shows what my hard work has been doing on and off the field. Just being able to withhold the standard here of Georgia, like we’re more than just athletes, and being able to have an effect in the community, just being able to impact kids, whether it’s adults, anybody really. Just being impactful just means a lot to me, to my family, and the University of Georgia.”

Since 1991, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) has selected 11 college football players each season that showed a commitment to making a difference in their communities. Since the inception of the award, Georgia has led the nation in Allstate AFCA Good Works Team honorees with 22, including 17 since 2000.

In his bio on the Allstate AFCA website, the organization describes what made Jackson such an attractive candidate for the award.

“Graduate student and wide receiver, Kearis Jackson dedicates his time and efforts into football and building his community. He has led numerous community service projects, such as raising $100,000 for Wi-Fi/hot spots for Athens and Clarke County students during the pandemic and securing 27 thousand pounds of food for Food 2 Kids in Northeast Georgia. On the football field, Jackson became the co-chair of SEC’s Leadership Council for Football and was inducted into the UGA Athletic Association’s Leadership Education and Development (L.E.A.D program).”

Aa a tremendous athlete on the field and a diligent worker off of it, Jackson understands the impact that he has on his community and all of the people that look up to him.

“It just shows who I am as a person, it just shows what type of character I have,” Jackson said. “I mean, I feel like I’m more than just an athlete. In the SEC, we have shirts that say “More Than Just an Athlete”, like we’re student-athletes as well, but also being involved in the community, it’s a big thing. We’ve got guys looking up to us back home, in the Athens area, like “Man, I wanna be just like you when I grow up”. But at the same time, it’s more than just being a great football player, it’s about having a great character as well. So, when you’re able to put those and good works, I mean, God blesses you in different ways. I was able to be blessed in the way that I can affect and influence people off the field as well, so I take full advantage of that. I look for it as an opportunity to help others, and if you know me, I’m more than well to help anybody. I’m always open to talk, being an influence of God, and just being able to be there for each other and for this world.”

The impact that Jackson has been able to make on his community is tremendous, and he has begun to garner the attention of a national audience. With the rest of the 2022 season ahead of him, Jackson – who has caught six passes for a total of 86 yards so far this season on top of his kick return duties – described how he has been able to be a positive influence in the Georgia locker room.

“It carries over in various different ways. For one, I’d just say knowing how to deal with certain personalities. On my team, we’ve got so many personalities it’s crazy. But once you actually get to sit down and actually talk to people, you actually find out more about themselves. Once you’re able to do that, it’s eye-opening,” Jackson said. “We have our skull-sessions, and through our skull-sessions, we find out each other’s ‘whys.’ Some of our teammates’ ‘whys,’ I have no choice but to go hard for them, cause I know what he’s been through. Same with me, most of my team knows what I’ve been going through. So when you have that connection and that bond, it just leads you to want to play harder.”

From now until November 22nd, you can cast your vote towards who will be named the 2022 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^® Captain. Click the embedded link HERE in order to head over to the website where you can choose between Jackson and 22 other people who have made a positive impact on their community.