Vols QB Commit Jackson Set to Visit for Pitt Game
Tennessee quarterback commitment Tayven Jackson will visit Knoxville on Saturday for the Pitt game, he confirmed to VR2 on SI earlier this week.
Jackson has been a focal point in the 2022 recruiting class since committing to the Vols in April.
"The reason why I committed to Tennessee is because I love the coaches," Jackson told SI at the time of his commtiment. "Coach Heup and Coach Halze are doing something big there, and I want to be a part of it. I feel like they can put me in the best situation I can be in in college. I feel like when I go there; we are going to change the program around and put Tennessee back to where they have been in past years."
Jackson chose the Vols over Ole Miss, Florida, Auburn, and several other schools.
Getting Jackson back to campus is key for the Vols, as he was a strong peer recruiter during the month of June when visits opened back up, and he will look to do the same this weekend.
Jackson is a guy that many within the recruiting industry are high on as he is just starting to scratch the surface of his potential as a passer. Earlier this year, SI's Director of Recruiting John Garcia Jr. had high praise for the signal-caller.
"I think it’s no secret that he has that big arm, but the basketball pedigree makes him so interesting," Garcia Jr. said. "It really verifies the athleticism that he doesn’t always have to show on tape because the arm is so big. I think they went to the state title game. He was player of the year somewhere. When you put all of those things together, you talk about a true athlete who really hasn’t ever given that 100% focus to football. So it makes you that much more intrigued to see what he can do once he does go all in on the sport, which would presumably be in the next calendar year or sooner than that. It makes you wonder just how impressive he could because some of the knocks on the kid are his consistency, his accuracy over time, and things that really come with time and coaching and development. So I think it’s quite the mirroring of what Josh Heupel wants to be at Tennessee when you talk about pairing a new coach with, really, his “guy,” right? Every coach wants to find their guy at quarterback, especially when you’re a former elite quarterback at the collegiate level yourself. You really wants to pair yourself with that prospect, and I think from an opportunity perspective, you can see the physical traits."