All in on Gig ‘Em: George County’s McKinnley Jackson signs with Texas A&M

If you’re the top high school football player in all of Mississippi, if you’re George County’s McKinnley Jackson signing your National Letter of Intent is like signing a blank check. An all-you-can-eat buffet of SEC schools on your plate, but you can only use that to-go box on just one item, just one school, just one hat to wear for the rest of your life.

“I’m going to make it short, sweet and simple. But for the next three to four years, I’ll be attending Texas A&M.”

“I knew what I wanted like I said for a year now, and there were kind of shots thrown at me trying to knock me off my path of what I wanted, but I stuck to it towards the end.”

Former Head Football Coach Matt Caldwell said, “(The man knows how to keep a secret, doesn’t he?) He does. If I want to tell somebody something that I don’t want somebody to know, I’m going to tell McKinnley Jackson because he can keep a secret pretty good.”

Four hats made the table on McKinnley Jackson’s National Signing Day Ceremony: LSU, Auburn, Alabama, and Texas A&M. The three to his right have a combined nine national championships since 2003, but in that long awaited moment of truth, the one to his far left is the one that felt like home. “I thought about what can Texas A&M do for me outside of football, and they had the best program, best alumni. I could have my best networking. I can really just build my brand at Texas A&M.”

A four star defensive tackle, according to both 24/7 Sports and ESPN, Jackson says Alabama was definitely his second choice, but the only school that receives his National Letter of Intent is celebrating Christmas in February. “They said they’re kind of like a kid on Christmas knowing they have a present but they can’t open it just yet. Yeah, Coach Jimbo.”

Texas A&M Head Coach Jimbo Fisher said, “(When did you know that you were going to be able to get McKinnley?) Oh, about time he picked that hat up. I mean we felt good about it but we felt we were in it because like I say, he’s 18 going on 30 as I say. But gets things, really mature and knows what he wants and how he wants it done.”

Coach Fisher says he’s been recruiting Jackson ever since his days at Florida State, but more than three years and 30 division I offers later, it’s clear that the newest Aggie never stopped thinking about the forever part of how he wants it done. Beverly McDowell, McKinnley’s mother, said, “Legacy is very important. Without legacy, I mean there’s nothing.”

“When you talk to McKinnley, that’s what he talks about is making his own name, making his own path. And so I think that’s what he wanted to do. I’m sure that factored into his decision. But McKinnley is his own man.”

In the two months leading up to signing day, Jackson was named Mr. Football for class 6A and MVP of the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game.

He also put on a show in the All-American Bowl, paving his road to stardom in College Station from the home of the Rebels on Old Highway 63 in Lucedale. “I made myself proud. Just battling adversity throughout life, and just making a decision coming from a small town like I said, and making these big dreams happen. After that it’s going to be a trend, and I’ll make sure that happens. Gig ‘Em.”

Upon Jackson’s decision to sign with Texas A&M over Alabama, the Aggies ended National Signing Day with the nation’s sixth ranked recruiting class according to 24/7 Sports.