Rivals100 OL Donovan Jackson is a Buckeye

Donovan Jackson has been nothing if not consistent throughout his recruitment.

The Rivals100 offensive lineman has long established himself as one of the premier big men in Texas' loaded 2021 crop.

While the four-star has always been high on Texas, Georgia and Ohio State, a more serious series of college visits and a wild football season tangled with coaching changes all over the map, Jackson looked no further than home as he inched closer and closer to his decision.

On Wednesday, Jackson committed to Ohio State. The No. 56 overall player in the Class of 2021 pledged to the Buckeyes over the aforementioned Longhorns and Bulldogs in a decision that arrived way earlier than originally anticipated.

Jackson was at the Horseshoe for the Buckeyes' convincing ousting of archrival Michigan. While the Rivals100 offensive tackle resides in the Houston area, Jackson has family ties to the state of Ohio, where his parents are from and still has family closeby.

The addition to Jackson gives Ohio State a third out-of-state commitment for the Class of 2021 and the first prospect from the Lone Star State in that cycle. Jackson sits right outside the top-50 for 2021 and ranks as the No. 8 tackle in the country and a top-10 prospect in-state.

"For me, it's kind of bittersweet. For the most part, the recruiting process was fun. It didn't get stressful until the home stretch. I had fun building relationships with different coaches, going around and being told I was a key piece in the puzzle, but in the end I knew I belonged at Ohio State."

"All those schools, at different points, had my attention. I found myself comparing those schools to Ohio State. Ohio State has more this or more that, and as I was making the comparison I realized I wanted to be there. On the visits, I was right. Basically, it's home for me. The state of Ohio played a major role in my life with my parents being from there, the family is basically from there. It wasn't a factor in my recruitment, but it's funny how it worked out."

"With Coach (Ryan) Day, when he first came on board as the head coach, the first time I met him we clicked instantly. Our relationship has developed from there. I met Coach Stud (Greg Studrawa) in the eighth grade. Back then, he was referencing me as a young pup. Since then we've had a great relationship. It's the strongest relationship I have in the recruiting process. Whenever he comes to town or talk on the phone, we joke or compete about ice cream. It's always fun when I talk to him."

"I knew about the academic side. All the schools in my top five were there for a reason -- academics and athletics. I know they're good and you see it on TV, but being inside the locker room with the head coach, seeing it's a brotherhood and not a marketing ploy, that they are bonded together and would die for the person next to them pushed me to commit early."

"No school can promise playing time, but they said I have a bright future there. Coach Stud said, "Listen, you would fit in great here. Someone with your skills, your talent, you fit here.' I'm between both positions (guard and tackle), but "' you can block it, you can rock it.' I love how he develops his players and love them like their his own family. I've been around Coach Stud during practices, where you forget there are recruits there and you revert back to your true self. Watching him care for players and wanting them to do better and pushing them to be their best made me want to play for that type of coach and that type of man."

Ohio State finds a way to dip into Texas year in and year out and snatch up some of the best talent that's itching to head out-of-state. That trend, of course, continued with the 2021 cycle and Jackson, who has ties to the Buckeye State and family in the region.

Jackson is a 6-foot-4, 300-plus pounder with an 83-inch wingspan capable of lining up all over the offensive line. Tackle is his natural position, but he plays in a run-centric offense at Bellaire (Texas) Episcopal that would make for an easy transition inside to guard, if need be. He projects as a tackle, but could certainly slide inside and be a dominant guard, and that was part of the appeal of choosing Ohio State over Georgia and Texas.

Jackson possesses quick feet and lateral quickness. Pancakes fill up his entire highlight reel as he naturally dominates at the point of attack. Jackson plays with a finisher's mentality. He drives defenders out of the play and into the turf with regularity and is able and willing to battle multiple defenders in his path.

Jackson's quick feet and natural hips allow him to quickly kick-step. He naturally explodes out of his hips and then flips a gear to block defenders into the ground. Jackson, simply put, is a bulldozer and blocks with that type of tenacity. That style of play is conducive to either tackle or guard, or wherever Ohio State elects to insert Jackson.