4-star EDGE Antwan Jackson commits to Ole Miss: ‘I really trust Coach Golding’
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For Antwan Jackson, this decision was about more than football.
The four-star EDGE out of Memphis (Tenn.) White Station committed to Ole Miss, choosing the Rebels over Alabama, Memphis and Missouri, giving Pete Golding another major recruiting win.
Although Jackson has starred in Tennessee, Mississippi has always been home.
Originally from Greenwood, Miss., Jackson moved to Memphis when he was five years old, but much of his family still lives in Mississippi.
“I’m kind of going back home,” Jackson told Rivals. “Almost all of my family is there, so I have connections to Mississippi, so this commitment is like going back home.”
That connection made Ole Miss an easy program to relate to, but it wasn’t enough to win his commitment by itself.
The Rebels made their biggest move during Jackson’s official visit to Oxford.
“It was more than what I expected when I was there in June,” he said. “The coaches and the people in the building were just great. I went into that visit with Alabama up there, but at the end of that visit, Ole Miss definitely moved to the top.”
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Jackson visited Oxford five times throughout his recruitment, and each trip strengthened his relationship with the staff.
Trust ultimately became the deciding factor.
“I really trust Coach Golding. I trust Coach Brown. And Coach Joyner is my guy. I believe in the coaches at Ole Miss and they have a great plan for me.
“Coach Joyner will be my coach and he has developed a lot of defensive linemen. Coach Golding has coached a lot of great edge rushers too. I feel like I can become a great player for him and in the Ole Miss defense.”
Golding and Brown were factors, but defensive line coach Randall Joyner was the leader in this recruitment.
“He always stayed there recruiting me,” Jackson said. “He’s a great person, a great family man and the way he treats my family means a lot. I’ve heard nothing but great things about Coach Joyner, and I trust the way he develops his players. He has shown me who he is around his family, and I am excited about playing for him.”
The fans in Oxford have their own personality and the atmosphere he gets to play in excites him.
“I was there for the LSU game last season and it was one of the best environments I have seen,” he said. “They definitely have a strong fan base, and I can’t wait to play in it.”
Jackson expects to play in a lot of big games inside Vaught Hemingway Stadium. He expects to win a lot too.
“I feel like Ole Miss is going to be an even better program than it was last year,” he said. “They’re going to be back competing for a national championship.
“Coach Golding is a winner.”
For Jackson, the decision brings everything full circle.
After growing up with deep Mississippi roots, one of the state’s top defensive prospects is heading back home.
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