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By: LARRY VAUGHT
Drake Jackson admits he was “pissed off” when he got to The Opening at the Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., last week.
The Woodford County offensive lineman, one of Kentucky’s commits in the 2016 recruiting class, was one of just 21 offensive linemen invited to the prestigious national showcase that featured some of the nation’s best defensive linemen.
“I get a lot of crap from a lot of those players for being committed to Kentucky,” said Jackson. “I was a lesser known player. I was going out to show what I could do. I knew if I was going to make them realize I was there, I had to dominate.”
Apparently he did just that, too.
He got into skirmishes with 6-7, 320-pound Raekwon Davis and 6-4, 360-pound Kendell Jones, both Alabama commits, the second day of competition. The 6-2, 300-pound Jackson, the smallest offensive lineman at the camp, also had a brief skirmish with 290-pound Ed Oliver, a Houston commit.
“I don’t think anybody expected that. I wanted to leave with everyone’s respect, and I think that happend,” Jackson, who was named one of the camp’s top five offensive linemen, said. “I didn’t plan to fight anyone. I think I just got some bigger guys frustrated and they started giving me shoves. I wasn’t going to take that. I was not going to back down from anybody. I think I was able to stand out and think I exceeded expectations and showed them what I was about.”
Video of Jackson going against Davis created a national stir and it was reported that Davis called Jackson “three star” to insult him.
“When he yelled, he was actually yelling three star at himself,” Jackson said. “He wasn’t yelling at me. They (media members) kind of twisted that story around. He’s a big guy, maybe the biggest I have ever seen in pads. I am not used to being the smallest offensive lineman, but he was huge.
“But being smaller actually helped. As long as I was playing the way I should be, I would always be underneath them and have leverage. I am also stronger than those guys. But I’ve learned in order to dominate, you have to have leverage. You can’t just rely on pure natural strength against guys that good.”
Jackson hopes his performance solidify not only his national status, but also gives Kentucky football and Kentucky recruiting a boost.
“When I committed to Kentucky over Ohio State and Alabama, a lot of people said I really did not have commitable offers from them,” Jackson, ranked as the nation’s No. 1 center in the 2016 recruiting class, said. “I think I kind of solidified that I did have those offers and that Kentucky did beat out Ohio State and Alabama for a player. That speaks well for Kentucky football that they can bring in guys who are legit.”
Jackson says he will benefit this season playing for new Woodford head coach Dennis Johnson, a former all-Southeastern Conference defensive lineman at Kentucky.
“He is so well known. He is really going to help me out and help me learn how to focus even more on football,” Jackson said. “For me, it’s not about (recruiting) stars and rankings, but about going out and winning high school games and getting ready for the next level.”
He said Johnson put the players through a rigorous offseason obstacle course.
“It was the hardest obstacle course I have ever run,” Jackson said. “He really pushed me. I know he’ll have a lot of stuff like that all season to push me and I like that.”
He also got some tips from former UK all-SEC offensive lineman Larry Warford, who now plays for the Detroit Lions, in Oregon. He was one of the offensive line coaches.
“I was the first guy to talk to him when he got introduced,” Jackson said. “I introduced myself and told him who I was. He definitely loved his decision to play for Kentucky and gave me some advice about playing in the SEC and playing at Kentucky. He was a big help.”
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