Advertisement

JaQuae Jackson picked Rutgers football over Texas A&M, Michigan State and Colorado because of his NFL draft dreams

kristian dyer
·3 min read

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — With one year of college eligibility left, JaQuae Jackson knew that he needed to provide a compelling senior year if his NFL dreams were to become a reality. The now Rutgers football wide receiver understood that his time at a Division II program for the past three years meant that he needed film that could attract the interest of NFL teams.

Rutgers, with two members of the staff who were wide receivers coaches in the NFL, became a very enticing landing spot for Jackson.

Rutgers (3-1, 1-1 Big Ten) has surprised many around college football with their strong start to the season, which includes two wins over Power Five opponents. But the coaching staff’s biggest win came this offseason when they landed Jackson.

A talented player at Division II Cal in Pennsylvania, Jackson was heavily recruited in the transfer portal. Rutgers won out from a crowded and deep field that included Texas A&M, Michigan State, Colorado, Georgia Tech, Miami, Pittsburgh and West Virginia among others.

With speed and a fluidness to his route running, Jackson is by all accounts a technician of the game. Speak with those around the program and he is described as unique, a unicorn even. He comes in with a humble disposition and a strong work ethic, both of which blend well with a program that has a chip on its collective back this year.

He chose Rutgers because of the chance to develop under two coaches with NFL experience in Dave Brock (wide receivers coach) and John Perry (senior analyst).

“Obviously, the proof is in the pudding,” Jackson said on Wednesday.

“You know, the NFL guys that they coached in the league – you know Sanu (Mohamed Sanu) – they just had guys that just came in this weekend, had in meetings…just sit around and just soaking in knowledge from them. Just little stuff like that. I know they could if they could develop them, they could develop me so I just keep going every day.”

Brock was most recently the wide receivers coach with the Atlanta Falcons where he worked with the likes of Sanu, a former Rutgers standout, as well as perennial All-Pro Julio Jones. As for Perry, he recently spent seven years in the NFL with the Houston Texans as their tight ends coach and wide receivers coach.

And in Jackson, Rutgers has a wide receiver who is capable of breaking big plays.

 

Jackson has done everything asked of him in the offense this season as he is second on the team in receptions (8) and receiving yards (136). He has gone deep, connecting with quarterback Gavin Wimsatt on a deep go-route in a win over Temple.

And he’s gone over the middle, taking hard hits on slants out of the slot.

He has left an impression on head coach Greg Schiano and the staff with his potential and upside to be a contributor in this revamped offense.

An offseason injury derailed the schedule to get Big Ten ready, but Schiano believes Jackson is set to continue his development and growth in the offense.

“JaQuae is getting better every week. Unfortunately, he had a little injury during training camp that slowed him down. I wish that he had had all those practice repetitions to get in the groove with the offense,” Schiano told reporters on Monday.

“He didn’t start here until the summer, midsummer, because of the portal and his recruitment. It’s not like he was here all spring where he got cumulative repetitions. So then we get to training camp and he’s doing well, and then he has — he’s forced to take a little break because of injury. And then that — you know, I don’t think we’re seeing yet the guy we are going to see in the next four weeks.

“I think he’s going to continue to get better and better which is good, I guess. But I would have liked to have had it earlier.”

Story originally appeared on Rutgers Wire