Scouting Report: Miami Hurricanes TE Commit Jackson Carver
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After growing up playing multiple sports including lacrosse and hockey, Jackson Carver decided to give football his full attention. The decision is paying off.
Schools from across the United States pushed for Carver, a class of 2023 tight end, to join their recruiting hauls this year, but the Miami Hurricanes won the battle on Tuesday when he announced his commitment to The U.
Jackson Carver
Jackson Carver, Tight End, Loomis Chaffee
@CulverFootball
Size: 6-foot-6 225 pounds
Position: Tight End
High School: Windsor (Conn.) Loomis Chaffee School (previously played for Culver (Ind.) Academy)
Recruitment
It did not take long for numerous schools to take a long look at Carver once he switched his focus to football, as he was previously committed to play lacrosse at Notre Dame.
Carver collected 33 offers in total, notably from Auburn, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan State, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Louisville, LSU and Florida State.
But after officially visiting Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes' coaching staff this past weekend, Carver wrapped things up by announcing his pledge to Miami.
RELATED: TE Jackson Carver commits to the Hurricanes
Frame
One of Carver’s greatest assets would be length. He is 6-foot-6, but his wingspan is likely greater than that. As for sheer size, Carver looks lean at his current weight. Additional lower body mass is needed for sheer power, especially in his hips and legs over time to improve as a run blocker.
Carver is just starting to fill out and there is ample room for him to add roughly 25-to-30 pounds in college, depending on how big he and the Miami strength and conditioning staff want him to become.
Athleticism
Carver has a fast-paced release from his three-point stance, with good change of direction skills. He is even nimble in traffic and avoids tacklers with lateral movement. While not a sprinter, Carver’s ability to run faster than many other FBS-level tight end recruits is also evident.
It’s also important to note that Carver played defensive tackle for while at Culver Academy. Based on the following video from him playing lacrosse, it’s pretty easy to see Carver’s mentality on the field to utilize his natural strength.
Hand-Eye Coordination
Carver sees something and quickly adjusts, both in the run and pass game due to strong hand-eye coordination. He's able to quickly change direction after the catch when a defender comes at him from a side angle, adjust his hand placement while run blocking, and utilize his length to make contested catches.
Receiving Threat
Carver's burst off the line of scrimmage helps him separate from second-level defenders. He’s tall and long, so a quarterback can throw the football to him even when he’s covered — chances are, he'll come down with it. Carver's jump-ball ability is evident from his junior season film. His hand-eye coordination is also evident here, as noted above.
He’s still learning the nuances of where to sit down in a zone, but the way Carver runs and how big his frame is cannot be taught. There is a lot of upside in Carver's game for Cristobal and his coaching staff to develop.
Dual-Threat
Many tight ends are far better at blocking or far better at receiving, one way or the other. For Carver, he's shown to be a willing blocker that plays through the whistle, and he was a valuable asset in the passing attack for Culver Academy.
Having a tight end that can play in any personnel package can elevate an offense substantially, and Miami is hoping Carver can be that type of player. With Carver in the game, the Hurricanes should be able to run and pass the ball once he's game-ready, as he's proven adept in both areas thus far in his football career.
Areas for Improvement
Carver sometimes looks back for the football long before he should be expecting a pass, which can tip off the defense. He'll need to improve his route timing and obviously build chemistry with his quarterback at Miami to eliminate this fault from his game.
Carver can also become more aggressive at the point of attack when run blocking, he'll sometimes allow defenders to get too close before beginning to attempt to move them when he should instead eliminate the cushion on his own and impose his will.
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