Penn State picks up third Class of 2024 commitment from LB Kari Jackson
Penn State picked up its third commitment in the Class of 2024 Tuesday morning, adding linebacker Kari Jackson. A native of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., Jackson earned an offer from the Nittany Lions in May 2021. He totaled 25 scholarship offers over the past couple of years, ultimately narrowing his list to Penn State, Cincinnati, Maryland, Missouri, Stanford, UCF and Wisconsin on Feb. 3.
Leading up to his commitment, Jackson visited Penn State three times total. He first came to campus in June 2021, which was followed by his decision to transfer to IMG Academy for his sophomore season. Since he was away from home, that limited where all Jackson could visit for nearly a year.
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Once he returned home to West Bloomfield High School, visits picked up again, with Jackson making his second trip in October to see the White Out win over Minnesota. When he returned to State College for a third time in January for a junior day, it was clear that the Nittany Lions were in a strong position with the three-star linebacker.
“Just being able to see the campus and see the different facilities for the first time. That was exciting for me,” Jackson said following his most recent visit on Jan. 28. “Also, being able to sit down with the different coaches, talk to them one-on-one, I enjoyed that. Having my family there, too, and having them see all the same things I’m seeing, I thought that was good. I felt like we got the total view of the school, the campus and the city around the campus as well.”
Jackson is now the second linebacker to commit in this year’s recruiting class, joining Pittsburgh native Anthony Speca. Similar to Speca, Jackson’s frame – he stands at just under 6-foot-2 and weighs about 220 pounds – leans towards him playing middle linebacker at the next level. He finished the 2022 season with impressive numbers, totaling 103 tackles, 26 tackles for loss and three sacks in just seven games.
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He was primarily recruited by Penn State’s defensive coordinator, Manny Diaz, as well as defensive recruiting assistant Alan Zemaitis.
“Coach Diaz is a really cool guy,” Jackson said. “He knows a lot about football and understands the linebacker position well. He plays through his linebackers in his defense, which is a big thing for me. He’s been at all the different levels in football and has a lot of wisdom, a lot of knowledge, particularly at the linebacker position.
“[Zemaitis] has been giving me that insight on what it’s really like to play at Penn State, play at the highest level. He was a great Penn State player and he’s also a genuine guy. AZ is really down to earth. He’s been giving me a lot of advice on what it’s like to be part of their culture.”
Penn State is still expected to pursue outside linebacker prospects moving forward. Virginia native Kris Jones remains an important target for the staff. He’s been on campus five times so far and has a trip scheduled to Florida for March 31. Georgia will also likely host Jones for a visit in March. Mississippi native Jamonta Waller is another top target. Waller visited Penn State in January and has since added offers from Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee and Texas A&M.
