Volunteer Country

Radarious Jackson's Stellar Debut Should Excite Tennessee

Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Radarious Jackson made several impact plays during Saturday's Orange and White Game, and the true freshman has been turning heads for months.
Evan Crowell|
Sheffield’s Radarious Jackson smiles during a ceremony to celebrate him signing to play football at the University of Tennessee at Sheffield High School on Wednesday, December 4, 2024.
Sheffield’s Radarious Jackson smiles during a ceremony to celebrate him signing to play football at the University of Tennessee at Sheffield High School on Wednesday, December 4, 2024. | Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Radarious Jackson made several impact plays during Saturday's Orange and White Game, and the true freshman has been turning heads for months.

The Orange and White Game headlines primarily revolved around quarterback Nico Iamaleava and his departure from the Tennessee Volunteers. Losing your starting quarterback four months before the season is always going to be the biggest and most important story, but something that shouldn't be lost in the fray was the performance of true freshman wide receiver Radarious Jackson.

Jackson made waves at Sheffield High School. He logged 3,582 all-purpose yards, 43 touchdowns, 140 tackles, and thirteen interceptions during his junior and senior seasons, vaulting onto the radar of several major college programs. Jackson chose Tennessee over Auburn, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State and never wavered in his pledge.

The Volunteers were adamant about adding Jackson to their signing class. They prioritized him over several high-profile wide receiver prospects, citing his immense athletic talent and game-changing skills when the football is in the air. He enrolled in January, and sources quickly began raving about his ability. However, true freshman receivers historically don't produce in head coach Josh Heupel's offense, which is filled with minute intricacies and timing patterns.

Tennessee needs young receivers to play, though. They'll likely insert redshirt freshmen Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley into the starting lineup this fall, and behind them, Jackson and fellow true freshman Travis Smith Jr. can earn crucial depth spots. Heupel has made it clear that he won't play receivers who don't understand the system, and the next four months for Jackson and Smith are about developing within the offense's confines.

While spring scrimmages provide small snapshots of an entire offseason's worth of work, Jackson flashed during the Orange and White Game. He made two highlight-reel plays that made the rounds on social media. One, an early touchdown on a go-ball from true freshman quarterback George MacIntyre. Jackson shredded the corner's coverage and got tight to the pylon, making himself an easy target for his young quarterback.

His second big play of the afternoon came on another go-ball. Jackson got pressed toward the boundary, and the defensive back kept tight coverage. However, Jackson climbed the ladder and made a spectacular one-handed snag. He hauled it in along the sideline and received an enormous ovation from attending onlookers.

Jackson still has a long way to go. Tennessee needs receivers to step up, but they will find help elsewhere, currently rostered or not, if they don't completely trust their true freshmen this fall. Their activity in the spring transfer portal window will indicate how the coaching staff feels about Jackson and Smith this upcoming season. Still, early returns are strong.

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Evan Crowell
EVAN CROWELL

Evan Crowell is currently pursuing a journalism degree from the University of Missouri and has various media experiences throughout his young career. He's been committed to marrying the fan's perspective of the game of football to the technical intricacies installed in each game by coaches and players. Crowell has been working at Fan Nation since 2020 and has covered high-profile college football games, recruiting events, and more during that five-year tenure. While he never played football, he's worked relentlessly to continue improving his understanding of the game while still covering the unique stories of each individual he covers.

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