In the Heat of Recruiting, UW Pulls On a Jackett
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On a recruiting weekend in Seattle warmed up by 90-degree temperatures, the University of Washington football program zipped up a Jackett, a sweaty proposition.
As in Elishah Jackett, a huge 6-foot-7, 280-pound offensive tackle from El Modena High School in Orange, California, southeast of Anaheim, who on Sunday offered his commitment to the Huskies.
Jackett becomes the UW's 11th commitment overall for Kalen DeBoer's class of 2023, the seventh from California, the sixth of the weekend and the second offensive lineman.
He joins other Californians in linebackers Deven Bryant and Jordan Whitney, running back Tybo Rogers, wide receivers Rashid Williams and Keith Reynolds, and safety Vincent Holmes; edge rusher Anthony James II and cornerback Diesel Gordon, both from Texas; fellow offensive tackle Zach Henning from Colorado; and edge rusher Jacob Lane from Washington.
As much as anyone, Jackett expressed his outward enthusiasm over joining the new program DeBoer is putting together at the UW.
"I'm so passionate about this one right here because we are going to build a future together winning championships on Montlake," Jackett wrote in his social-media announcement.
Demonstrating the sometimes randomness of recruiting rankings, Jackett is pegged as a 3-star recruit but has a host of leading Power 5 schools that want him.
He also holds offers from USC, UCLA, Texas, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Utah, California, Arizona State, Arizona, Washington State and others.
They can't be all wrong, can they?
Jackett is a little taller and little lighter than Lincoln Kennedy when he emerged from San Diego and became an All-American and first-round NFL draft pick for the Huskies. Yet he holds similar athleticism to go with all that size as an offensive tackle.
He plays for El Modena, which is nicknamed the Vanguards and coming off an 8-5 season.
The school is quaintly known as ElMo, or, in this case, Where's Jackett?
He's coming to Montlake, hoping to build a big reputation, one that maybe puts that 3-star label to shame.
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