SMU to get coveted 4-star defensive back in for official visit

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Garland (Texas) Lakeview Centennial four-star cornerback Montre Jackson is being heavily courted by in-state programs. SMU is in the mix.

The Mustangs are right down the road from the 6-foot-1, 170-pounder and he’s taken myriad visits to campus as a result. On Sunday, Jackson officially locked in an official visit with the ACC program.

He’ll be back at SMU on the weekend of June 5:

Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman first reported the OV earlier this month. Jackson has talked at length about his interest in the Mustangs:

“I love the consistent communication and how often the coaches have been coming to see me,, especially Coach Lashlee, who’s been coming to see me and telling me how important I am to this class,” Jackson told Spiegelman.

“At SMU, I feel like I can go in and play early and do something for the city. Being from here, as close as I live to SMU, I love the trajectory and the path that they’re on. They’re definitely on an uphill climb.”

Jackson is the No. 192 overall prospect and No. 23 corner in the 2027 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 25 player in Texas.

It won’t be easy to land Jackson, as Texas is the program currently trending, according to the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine. The Longhorns are prioritizing the blue-chip DB, as is Texas Tech. Jackson has official visits set with both schools — TTU on May 29 and Texas on June 11 — as well.

SMU aiming for another Top-25 class

Head coach Rhett Lashlee and his staff officially signed the No. 24 class in the 2026 Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings last month. They’ll push to get back in the top 25 in the 2027 cycle.

So far, two prospects have committed to the Mustangs: Benton (La.) four-star quarterback Malachi Zeigler and Houston Cy Ranch three-star defensive lineman Amari Vickerson.

Zeigler was a key early win for SMU. He now checks in as the No. 224 recruit and No. 20 QB in the cycle. He’s been in the class since mid-October.

“I’ve had a good relationship with the staff at SMU for over a year at this point,” Zeigler told Rivals. “They’ve made it abundantly clear that I’m their guy and they’ve shown a lot of love. I love the idea of playing for a program that’s growing as rapidly as they are.”

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