El Dorado Coach Scott Reed recalls the seeing defensive lineman Bijhon Jackson, an Arkansas commitment, in the seventh or eighth grade during a Wildcats’ football camp.
“I was like: ‘Wow,’ ” Reed said. “The coaches had already told me about him. They knew about him coming up. He was a big young man even then but he could move so well. I was like: ‘Wow,’ he runs like a sprinter.”
Since that time, Jackson has grown into being one of the nation’s top defensive-line prospects and will play in the U.S. Army All-American game in San Antonio on Jan. 4. He received his game jersey during a Monday morning ceremony at the school.
Jackson, 6-2, 325, 5.1 seconds in the 40-yard dash is rated a 4-star prospect by national recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of CBS Sports Network. Having his family, friend, teammates and coaches on hand was special.
“It was great to have them there,” Jackson said. “It will be a moment to remember.”
Jackson, who accompanied by Reed, participated in last year’s U. S. Army All-American Combine, then viewed the game.
It’s been his goal to play in the game ever since.
“It was a great atmosphere and I looked up to those guys,” Jackson said. “I’m just hoping, I’ll be one of those guys the kids looks up to this year. I can’t wait to play against the best competition in the country.”
Jackson, who reports a 415-pound bench press, set the state record in the power clean with a lift of 350 pounds in the state high school weightlifting championships in the spring. Reed said practice can be brutal for Jackson’s teammates on the offensive side of the ball.
“Our center just gets rolled repeatedly,” Reed said. “I have practice tape where he’s literally airborne. There are times when our guard will come off and there will be nothing on the ground. He’s flying through the air. He [Jackson] has great explosion. I know it gets old for those kids. We really limit that, but every once in a while you can’t help that. It’s just going to happen.”
Opponents make it a habit to see where Jackson is lined up and adjust.
“We get the Bijhon shift,” Reed said. “They line up one way and then they flip a few guys to the other side and run that way. Which I would do too. A lot of people find where he’s lined up and try and run the other way.”
LINEMAN COMMITS TO VISIT
Arkansas will get one of defensive end Kevin Bronson’s official visits when he makes a trip to Fayetteville for the Dec. 13-15 weekend.
Bronson, 6-3, 245, 4.77 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Delray Beach, (Fla.) Village Academy reports having approximately 26 scholarship offers from schools like Arkansas, Miami, Nebraska, Florida, South Florida, Central Florida and Rutgers.
“I heard its very nice in Fayetteville and fans show you love and they support you 100 percent,” said Bronson, who credited defensive line coach Charlie Partridge with convincing him to visit.
“He’s a straight-forward guy,” Bronson said.
“He does a good job of selling the school to me when he’s telling me about Arkansas.”
Bronson said he is set to visit Rutgers on Dec. 6, and is also committed to visiting South Florida and Central Florida. His fifth visit is yet to be determined.
Bronson said Partridge has told him he has a chance to see early playing time.
“I just have to do my part by working hard in the weight room,” Bronson said. “Work hard and make plays on the field and get to know the system well.”
A family atmosphere, coaches and loyalty will all factor into his college decision.
Email Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports, Pages 20 on 11/12/2013