Jackson now all-in on football, ASU among two schools after him the hardest
Robert Jackson didn’t know much about ASU. He knew it was out west. He knew Herm Edwards was the coach. And he knew they hadn’t reached out.
Then the Sun Devils’ co-defensive coordinator, Antonio Pierce showed up at his high school just north of Philadelphia in late January. There he was, three-thousand miles away from Tempe, on the East Coast for a recruiting road trip.
Later that day on the phone, Pierce introduced himself. The former Super Bowl champ explained what he and Arizona State were all about. Less than a day after their first words, Pierce offered Jackson.
“It was completely out of the blue,” Jackson said of Pierce’s call. “He was just telling me, from my measurements, that my potential is through the roof… And then for my size already, that this could be a blessing.
“He was just talking to me and giving me background on the program and on himself. Just giving a general feel of the whole (recruiting process) … I remember being very excited about the whole thing.”
And Jackson, a 2021 defensive end, was exactly what brought Pierce close to the Atlantic Ocean.
ASU’s main priority in year three of the Herm Edwards era is height in the trenches. They are seeking players who can, physically, match up with any team in the country and the lengthy frames to bat down passes at the line.
The Sun Devil staff determined tall defensive linemen ran aplenty in the East Coast recruiting well. And at 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, Jackson may as well be the prototype.
“I was just very happy that, of all people, he came down,” Jackson said. “It really put a big emphasis onto (ASU). It gave me a new view of things because I didn’t know I was good enough for schools that high, that good.”
Jackson’s undervaluing of his own stock stems little from his actual football talent. How confident could you be after playing a grand total of one year of football. Before last season, Robert Jackson had no problem telling anyone that he was a basketball player and a basketball player only.
The Archbishop Wood football coach had been hounding him for two years to join, telling him a scholarship was sure to come for a 6-foot-5 defensive lineman, regardless of experience. Then Wood hired Kyle Adkins as its head coach before Jackson’s senior season. Just as his predecessor did, Adkins tried to get the big man into some cleats.
“I thought I would just play to stay in shape for basketball. Just have a little fun,” Jackson said. “I grew to like it. I like it a lot better than basketball (now). I like the physical contact and getting after the quarterback is real fun.”
Chasing Philadelphia's area quarterbacks around every Friday night has brought much joy to Jackson. And the scholarships offered that followed seemed to affirm his new passion.
At the moment, Jackson has 18 offers, including double-digits from power-five programs. Yet, as the summer creeps up, Jackson admitted it’s been Arizona State and Rutgers have been the tandem of schools vying the hardest for his services.
In addition to Pierce, newly-hired defensive line coach Robert Rodriguez have been the main ASU recruiters of Jackson.
“Me and him got really close,” Jackson said of Rodriguez. “He seems like a pretty down-to-earth guy. Relatable guy. He tells it how it is. He always says how he’s not just in it for him or the program, how he’s trying to help the players.
Added Jackson concerning the Sun Devils’ pro model: “I think that plays a pretty big part just knowing they have the connections to get me to where I want to go. And they have the experience to tell me where I have to be and what I have to be like to get to the point I want to be at.”
Jackson said he’s unsure when he’ll commit, noting that the current stoppage of in-person visits caused by the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t made any timetable in recruitment clear at the moment. Regardless, when that day arrives, Jackson will pick a school that knocks everything off his wish list.
“Just the environment on and off the field,” he said. “Just the overall -- just getting a feel for the coaching staff and everybody who plays for that team.”
Join us on our premium message board, the Devils’ Huddle, to discuss this article and other ASU football and recruiting topics. Not a member yet? Sign up today here and join your fellow Sun Devil fans!
