Illini, Orange offer Pennsylvania DE
Branden Jackson just surfaced on the recruiting radar not long ago and immediately his stock has taken off.
Earlier in the week Jackson spoke about the past month, which has been quite the blur. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound defensive end from McKeesport, Pennsylvania picked up offers from Michigan, North Carolina and West Virginia during that time, and now a couple of other schools are in the hunt as well.
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Illinois and Syracuse are the latest schools to offer Jackson. The Illini became the fourth school to offer the junior prospect and Syracuse came shortly after as the fifth.
"I'm interested in all the schools that have offered so far," Jackson said. "I haven't been able to break it down much yet as far as which ones (colleges) I like better. They've all come to the (high) school and they all seem really cool.
"I've got to do my research on Illinois. I don't know too much about their school in general. I've just watched a couple of their games here and there.
"Actually, a friend of the family went to Syracuse ... my basketball coach's wife. She's always going on about them, saying, 'Go Orange!' and stuff like that. I've always had a little interest in them because of her."
Jackson said Wisconsin in another school that has been showing serious interest, though the Badgers haven't offered yet.