The 2022 running back from Oak Ridge, Tennessee was thrilled to get offer his first SEC scholarship offer and his fourth offer in total. Jackson also holds offers from Arizona State, Eastern Kentucky and Tulane. He’s also hearing from Clemson and Texas.
“It felt pretty good,” Jackson told VolQuest of the Vol offer. “Basically what he (Graham) was saying is that ‘we think you’re a good kid and you work hard.’ And he said my name has been in their mouth for a good two months and that they were real excited to see what I could do. “The crazy thing about offers is they come up when you least expect them so it felt pretty good. When you’re practicing, you’re not worried about offers or anything. You’re worried about getting better at your craft. It just came in.”
Jackson has grown up in Oak Ridge all his life. Despite having family members who are Alabama fans, Jackson’s mother is a Tennessee fan herself. She was thrilled to find out the Vols had offered her son. “I went inside and got my brother, my Mom and they were pretty excited, as I was,” Jackson said. “They were real excited. My mom is a UT fan and she loves UT.”
Tennessee wasn’t Jackson’s dream school growing up per say. No school was. He just appreciated watching good football on the television when it presented itself. As for who he models his running style after, Jackson enjoys watching the likes of Alabama running back Najee Harris and Clemson running back Travis Etienne.
Gaddis has coached players that have gone on to Alabama, Clemson, Tennessee and many other top programs. He knows what a top player looks like and Jackson draws plenty of praise from the veteran head coach. “Kendall is the most physical running back I’ve ever coached,” Gaddis said. “He’s a unique combination of power, speed, toughness, and has the ability to make you miss. He’s a tackle breaking machine. He’s a true 6 foot and 190 pound kid who lives in the weight room. He's as strong as an ox. He looks like a man but he's still young.”
Graham echoed those sentiments to Jackson during Thursday’s call. “They (Tennessee) told me my balance is good,” Jackson said. “Coach (Graham) also said I run hard and run physical with a lean.”
Jackson has spent his time during quarantine away from the high school due to COVID-19 training. Since the gyms have opened back up, he’s been back in the gym, on the field and completing workouts at home to continue working on his footwork, catching the ball out of the backfield and cutting better.
In regards to the Vols, Jackson is excited to see what Jeremy Pruitt does at the helm over the course of the next few years. “I think Tennessee is a pretty good program,” Jackson said. “Knowing that Jeremy Pruitt came from Alabama, I know he’s more of a defensive guy. I know they were pretty tough this past year and they won a bowl game. I know in these next two or three years, they’re going to be real good.”
