Jackson close to major offers
Lamar Jackson has proven to be one of the West's top prospects and his recruitment is taking off as well.
The latest offer for the Elk Grove (Calif.) Franklin defensive back is from Oregon and the Ducks immediately make a major move up in his recruitment. A visit to Eugene soon is not out of the question at all.
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"I've been talking to coach (Don) Pellum for the last two months building a relationship and everything like that," Jackson said. "He's been on me. Earlier this week he came to the school to look at me and do a little evaluation and we talked a little bit.
"(Saturday) he followed up with that and he offered me at the end of our conversation.
"I plan on taking visits up there. I'm interested of course because it's Oregon, one of the best programs in the West, one of the best in the country."
Other big offers could be on the way. Jackson, who shined once again at the Rivals Camp Series in Los Angeles this past weekend, said Notre Dame and Alabama are showing serious interest.
It sounds like both the Irish and Crimson Tide could be coming through with offers shortly.
"Coach (Mike) Sanford with Notre Dame we've been keeping in contact with DMs on Twitter like every other day," Jackson said. "He's saying how Notre Dame could change my life and I'm talking to him and he said an offer is coming soon."
The same goes down in Tuscaloosa.
"Coach Tosh (Lupoi) came to the school and I talked to him a little bit and then we got on the phone shortly after he left my school," Jackson said. "He told me they're interested and they're going to treat it like an offer. He just wants me to take my trip down to Alabama.
"He said Alabama all they care about is God and football. He said it's a different game so he wanted to show me what it's like down there before they offer me."
Those offers will make Jackson's recruitment more interesting but it still seems like USC and UCLA stand out the most to the Elk Grove Franklin defensive back.
Both coaching staffs are aggressively pursuing Jackson and he's taking notice.
"Coach (Angus) McClure and coach (Demetrice) Martin (from UCLA) were in my school (last week)," Jackson said. "I love coach Martin's personality and how he's recruiting me. I like his tempo about everything and he keeps it real. He doesn't beat around the bush. I respect all that.
"The thing with SC is it's a whole-staff thing. Everyone from coach (Peter) Sirmon to coach (Keith) Heyward to coach (Justin) Wilcox they're all recruiting me. It's not just the DB coach and I respect that as well."