Jeffrey M’Ba Blog: Visits to Iron Bowl, Jackson State For No. 1 JUCO Recruit
Jeffrey M'Ba is one of the most highly-recruited prospects in America, hauling in 30 offers since arriving on the Junior College scene at Independence C.C. in Kansas. He has agreed to give Sports Illustrated exclusive access into his world by chronicling his journey to football from his time in France to his recruitment and preparation for his upcoming college decision.
Hello everyone! It is me, Jeffrey, again!
I am currently on my way for another visit. It seems as if that is all I have been doing lately. I am on my way to Knoxville to check out the Tennessee Volunteers, but before I talk about that, I want to share my thoughts about my visits to Jackson State and Auburn.
Let's start with the game. I got to take in one of college football's best rivalries, the Iron Bowl. The game itself was crazy! It was the best game I have seen in my life and went into four overtimes. The whole atmosphere was crazy, and just the way Auburn played against Alabama was crazy. The fans were so exciting, and I really enjoyed myself during the game.
I spent time with all of the coaches during my official visit, and that was great. I enjoyed their message to me. They told me I could play outside or inside because they play a versatile defense, so that is definitely something I am interested in playing in because it means I have a chance to play everywhere. That is important because that is what I want. I want the opportunity to be versatile and show the NFL scouts I can play everywhere.
Before I went to Auburn, I got to spend time at Jackson State with NFL Legend Deion Sanders. That was such a great experience for me, even though I did not get to watch one of their games in real life, I still really enjoyed my time there.
It was a great opportunity to spend time with him and talk to him. It was crazy being around him, and I can tell that he really cared about me. We talked about life and everything. He just wants me to be great even if I don't go to Jackson State. He wants me to be great as a person and as a player. I feel like that is what he wants for everybody. It was crazy for me to experience that with someone like him because I believe he truly wants everyone to be great.
It was also a great opportunity to learn about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). I already knew some about segregation, but I got to go to a museum. While I was there I learned more about slavery and stuff. I was just really glad to be over there and get to visit because it was a great school. I really enjoyed it.
Now, like I said earlier, I am off to Tennessee for my third official visit. I have known about Tennessee for a long time, but I am excited to get to go over there and visit it myself. Coach (Rodney) Garner is one of the best coaches in football right now.
This trip is going to be important to me because I will get to see how they are going to play me if I came there, how I would fit in around the players.
I want to be where I fit in. I want to be at a place I am going to win and a place where we are going to work, no matter what. The biggest thing for me is finding that place like home because my family is far away.
My mother is coming in from France, and I am excited to have her here. She is excited, and I am too. Being able to have my mom in America to enjoy this with me is going to be a great moment.
That is all for now! I cannot wait to share about Tennessee and my upcoming plans with you, as I still have trips to Oregon and Missouri coming up.
