Jahzare Jackson reflects on his unexpected journey to Athens, where he plays football for the Bulldogs, with great pride.
“I feel like I’ve made significant progress during my six months here,” Jackson shared. “The development process has been really positive, especially with the time spent practicing and doing individual workouts. It’s been an overall great experience.”
Jackson’s story is far from typical.
Standing 6-foot-10 and weighing 348 pounds, Jackson hadn’t played organized football since middle school basketball had always been his passion. It wasn’t just a pastime for him, but a serious pursuit.
Originally from San Diego, Jackson played AAU basketball alongside Bronny James before moving to Overtime Elite in Atlanta, one of the country’s premier facilities for developing top-tier basketball talent. OTE has produced notable players like Rob Dillingham, the former No. 2 pick, and Tyler Smith, the No. 33 pick.
Somto Cyril, a current UGA basketball player, also played for OTE.
Jackson entered the NBA Draft but went undrafted. Despite receiving overseas offers, he chose to give football another shot at the encouragement of his family and friends.
Florida State and Florida showed interest, but Jackson ultimately committed to Georgia, even though he hadn’t played football in five years.
He recalls the first day he returned to the field as a surreal experience.
“It was a very surreal moment,” Jackson said. “I was just taking it all in, but it was a great moment for me. I really enjoyed it.”
Offensive line coach Stacy Searels first heard about Jackson through a phone call from trainer Kevin McAlmont.
“[McAlmont] trains athletes in the area and reached out to me about him,” Searels recalled. “I said, get him to camp. If you’re going to take a chance on someone, this is it. He’s an enormous athlete, a great person. But the learning curve is steep; he’s getting better, though.”
Though Jackson still has a lot to learn, he played in all 14 games as a true freshman, mostly contributing on special teams, where his 6-10 frame was useful on the punt block unit.
He also got a few offensive snaps and is expected to see more action this spring.
“We recruit size and athleticism,” said head coach Kirby Smart about Jackson last year.
“I feel like I can take this as far as I want,” Jackson said. “I just need to keep putting in the work, time, and effort to improve.”
While football is now his focus, Jackson cherishes his basketball memories.
One of his highlights was getting to know LeBron James.
“He’s a great person and leader,” Jackson said. “He taught us so much over the years.”
He also keeps up with Georgia’s basketball team.
“I’ve had a chance to watch them. They’re a great group of guys,” Jackson said, admitting that he occasionally still gets the urge to play basketball.
“You still get that feeling sometimes,” Jackson said. “I’m always tuned into the basketball scene, so it’s never really gone away. But my focus has definitely shifted—I’m a football player now.”