One of our favorite things about covering AAU events with multiple prospects in the building, is catching an improving underclassman. It is even better when we have a vested interest, and the player already has an offer from the school we are covering.
That was the case at last weekend's Under Armour Challenge in Cartersville, Georgia. One of the last games we saw before the event's conclusion featured Zeb Jackson and Ohio C2K.
Jackson dominated play from his point guard position. He is obviously still young, and hasn't added muscle to his long 6-foot-3 frame, but he pretty much did whatever he wanted to when he wanted to. He had all of the moves, combined with the ability to change speeds off of an explosive first step. His quickness also allowed him to create open mid-range jump shots which he was able to consistently knock down.
"I am a scorer, and I try to use my length on defense," Jackson told us after his final game of the tournament. "I use my height as well. I try to make plays for my teammates. I create my own shot, and play at a good pace."
When I asked him what his strengths were, he replied, "It's my ball handling. I think me and my dad workout a little differently than most people, and me being left handed is different to guard. I use moves like my step back, use my length, crossovers and stuff are just different than most other people."
HIs talents have led to a nice package of offers so far to be this early into his high school career. Vanderbilt extended theirs on June 29. They are joined by Wisconsin, Marquette, Iowa, Arizona State, Virginia, Iowa State, Xavier, Butler, Illinois, Ohio State, Providence, Duquesne, Dayton Cincinnati, Akron, and Toledo.
"I'm just happy the hard work is paying off, and it's a blessing, " Jackson admitted. "But at the same time, I play as hard as I can because things go away just as fast as they come. The offers have been blowing up out of nowhere. It surprised me a lot."
Jackson has taken unofficial visits "to just about every school I have an offer from except for Providence, Iowa, and Iowa State." He says he wants to get around to seeing those campuses after July, as well as Florida, where his sister attends. Jackson took his unofficial to the West End the last week of June.
"It went really well, " Jackson stated. "They showed us everything, the whole campus. I got to meet some of the players, and watch practice. We went out to eat with the coaches. It was great."
Seeing that Jackson has taken his fair share of visits, he can give a professional assessment when giving his opinion of college settings.
"It was really nice. Every campus is obviously different. Some are bigger. Some are smaller. I just think it was good for me to see all of these campuses, and Vanderbilt is one I really liked. Nashville is a great city also."
Jackson went into detail about his visit, and how it overlapped into his relationship with assistant coach, Jake Diebler.
"Coach Diebler is actually from Toledo as well. So he's always texting me to show up for the 419. He texted me and really wanted me to come visit, and said that Coach Drew would come to see me more. I went and visited, and really liked the campus. I got to go all around, and hang out all of the coaches. At the end of the visit, I got to talk to Coach Drew a little bit, and he offered. I feel like I fit really well with their system."
We asked Jackson what he felt his relationship was like with the Vanderbilt staff.
"I love the coaches. Coach Diebler texts me a lot, consistently. I really like talking to Coach Drew. I enjoyed our time there. All of the coaches. I got to sit down with them, and get to know them really well."
Naturally, we were curious what Drew and Diebler say to him. The sales pitch is admittedly very flattering to a young point guard.
"They feel like Darius Garland will really open the doors for players from Vanderbilt, and really help the program blow up more than it already is. They are really in a good conference, and they feel like after he leaves that I will be similar to him."
Just for our readers' information, we asked him what Garland looked like in practice. He responded, "Darius looked great, just like the McDonald's All-American he was in high school."
With the addition of Garland as well as Simi Shittu, many prospects have said that Vanderbilt has turned into an "it" program and has garnered a second look because of their recruiting exploits. Jackson said that it not the case with him, but that is not necessarily a bad omen for the Commodores.
"That's not really a big thing to me. What I worry about more is just a relationship between the coaches, me feeling at home, and how I fit in. That feels really good to me that they think I could be like most of these players who are McDonald's All-Americans, and really are important to their program."
Jackson is the No. 88 ranked player in the Class of 2020 according to Rivals, and is rated as a four-star prospect.
That was the case at last weekend's Under Armour Challenge in Cartersville, Georgia. One of the last games we saw before the event's conclusion featured Zeb Jackson and Ohio C2K.
Jackson dominated play from his point guard position. He is obviously still young, and hasn't added muscle to his long 6-foot-3 frame, but he pretty much did whatever he wanted to when he wanted to. He had all of the moves, combined with the ability to change speeds off of an explosive first step. His quickness also allowed him to create open mid-range jump shots which he was able to consistently knock down.
"I am a scorer, and I try to use my length on defense," Jackson told us after his final game of the tournament. "I use my height as well. I try to make plays for my teammates. I create my own shot, and play at a good pace."
When I asked him what his strengths were, he replied, "It's my ball handling. I think me and my dad workout a little differently than most people, and me being left handed is different to guard. I use moves like my step back, use my length, crossovers and stuff are just different than most other people."
HIs talents have led to a nice package of offers so far to be this early into his high school career. Vanderbilt extended theirs on June 29. They are joined by Wisconsin, Marquette, Iowa, Arizona State, Virginia, Iowa State, Xavier, Butler, Illinois, Ohio State, Providence, Duquesne, Dayton Cincinnati, Akron, and Toledo.
"I'm just happy the hard work is paying off, and it's a blessing, " Jackson admitted. "But at the same time, I play as hard as I can because things go away just as fast as they come. The offers have been blowing up out of nowhere. It surprised me a lot."
Jackson has taken unofficial visits "to just about every school I have an offer from except for Providence, Iowa, and Iowa State." He says he wants to get around to seeing those campuses after July, as well as Florida, where his sister attends. Jackson took his unofficial to the West End the last week of June.
"It went really well, " Jackson stated. "They showed us everything, the whole campus. I got to meet some of the players, and watch practice. We went out to eat with the coaches. It was great."
Seeing that Jackson has taken his fair share of visits, he can give a professional assessment when giving his opinion of college settings.
"It was really nice. Every campus is obviously different. Some are bigger. Some are smaller. I just think it was good for me to see all of these campuses, and Vanderbilt is one I really liked. Nashville is a great city also."
Jackson went into detail about his visit, and how it overlapped into his relationship with assistant coach, Jake Diebler.
"Coach Diebler is actually from Toledo as well. So he's always texting me to show up for the 419. He texted me and really wanted me to come visit, and said that Coach Drew would come to see me more. I went and visited, and really liked the campus. I got to go all around, and hang out all of the coaches. At the end of the visit, I got to talk to Coach Drew a little bit, and he offered. I feel like I fit really well with their system."
We asked Jackson what he felt his relationship was like with the Vanderbilt staff.
"I love the coaches. Coach Diebler texts me a lot, consistently. I really like talking to Coach Drew. I enjoyed our time there. All of the coaches. I got to sit down with them, and get to know them really well."
Naturally, we were curious what Drew and Diebler say to him. The sales pitch is admittedly very flattering to a young point guard.
"They feel like Darius Garland will really open the doors for players from Vanderbilt, and really help the program blow up more than it already is. They are really in a good conference, and they feel like after he leaves that I will be similar to him."
Just for our readers' information, we asked him what Garland looked like in practice. He responded, "Darius looked great, just like the McDonald's All-American he was in high school."
With the addition of Garland as well as Simi Shittu, many prospects have said that Vanderbilt has turned into an "it" program and has garnered a second look because of their recruiting exploits. Jackson said that it not the case with him, but that is not necessarily a bad omen for the Commodores.
"That's not really a big thing to me. What I worry about more is just a relationship between the coaches, me feeling at home, and how I fit in. That feels really good to me that they think I could be like most of these players who are McDonald's All-Americans, and really are important to their program."
Jackson is the No. 88 ranked player in the Class of 2020 according to Rivals, and is rated as a four-star prospect.
