story on Jackson

[oline fan]

August 16, 2010
Tom Shanahan
AztecSportsReport.com Senior Writer
Talk about it in The Mesa
If San Diego State coach Brady Hoke wants to know how well Darryl Jackson is staying in shape during his grayshirt season, a former NFL running back can update him.

Jackson is the 6-foot-7, 305-pound offensive tackle from Lakewood (Calif.) Mayfair that is spending the fall of 2010 as a grayshirt while working with J.R. Redmond, who played six seasons in the NFL, including winning a Super Bowl title with the New England Patriots. Redmond operates Just Run Real Pro Training in Los Angeles, and he thinks Jackson has NFL potential.

"I definitely think he has the size and the physical ability to play on Sundays," Redmond said. "I train a lot of running backs and skill positions players, and I work with some defensive ends to develop quick feet so running backs can't run circles around them. Jackson is an offensive tackle with quick enough feet to run circles around people."

Redmond compared Jackson to former NFL lineman Adrian Klemm, one his teammates on the Patriots. Klemm (6-4, 318) played six NFL seasons on three Super Bowl championship teams.

"Jackson is a big kid with some athleticism," Redmond said. "Now it's a matter of him mentally retaining the information he learns, and I don't see that being a problem for him. The other thing I like about him, besides his athleticism, is he has some 'dog' in him. You've got to have that as an offensive lineman, because you're fighting on every down."

As reported in previous ASR stories, Jackson had signed with Southern Methodist, where Klemm is an assistant coach. But Jackson was one of two SMU recruits denied admission, although both had met all NCAA qualifying standards.

With the lost time, Jackson decided to grayshirt and be re-recruited before joining his new team for the spring semester in 2011.

SDSU and SMU were the first two schools to offer Jackson, and Jackson made a visit to SDSU last week. He's also planning a visit to Oregon State.

Jackson isn't rated by Rivals, but Redmond says that's a result of playing at a high school that is off the beaten path of recruiters.

"His high school isn't known for turning out players," Redmond said. "But he has the size and the stature to be recruited throughout the nation."

Redmond's comments about Mayfair is another example of SDSU's staff uncovering unknown talent. In addition to the Aztecs being on Jackson early, SDSU signed one of his Mayfair teammates, linebacker Joshua Gavert, in the Class of 2010.

Contact Tom Shanahan at [email protected].