Speedy Palmetto wide receiver Mike Jackson is working on setting up Miami official visit
It’s easy to make a comparison between Mike Jackson and one of the Miami Hurricanes’ highly touted freshman wide receivers.
Jackson and Brashard Smith, after all, were teammates for three years at Palmetto in Pinecrest and bring some similar skills to the table. Both are known for their speed and their ability in the return game. They’re both a bit undersized, but the Panthers always found creative ways to get them the ball.
It’s possible they could be reunited next year, too. After putting Miami in his top five last month, Jackson has been talking to Rob Likens about setting up an official visit to Coral Gables.
“He wants me to come on an official visit and see how it is,” Jackson said Wednesday, “and see how the campus living is.”
In the last few weeks, the wide receivers coach has been in consistent communication with Jackson. The 5-foot-8, 150-pound senior was at Hard Rock Stadium for each of the Hurricanes’ first two home games this year and said he talks to Likens “every other day.” Now he and Likens are trying to figure out when he will make the quick trip to campus this fall.
“I’m trying to set something up,” Jackson said.
So far, Jackson has one official visit locked in: He will make the trip to Boone, North Carolina, to visit the Appalachian State Mountaineers in October. Jackson also put the Louisville Cardinals, West Virginia Mountaineers and Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in his top five, and said he has been talking a lot with West Virginia recently.
Although it already has two wide receivers committed in its Class of 2022, Miami is actively pursuing a third — Jayden Gibson, a four-star wide receiver from Winter Garden West Orange, is a top target — and Jackson is one of the top-ranked uncommitted receivers in South Florida.
Jackson is the No. 130 player in Florida, according to the 247Sports.com composite rankings, and was a second-team all-county selection by the Miami Herald last season. The three-star wide receiver finished his junior year with six catches for 133 yards and two touchdowns, five carries for 83 yards, and a kick- and punt-return touchdown in seven games, despite Palmetto playing most of its final five games with Smith at quarterback.
While Jackson’s size would likely make him a developmental prospect in a Power 5 Conference, his speed gives him one elite trait and a potential change to the initial-counter rule could give the Hurricanes some extra flexibility to add players in the 2022 recruiting cycle as a large senior class departs.
The biggest draws, he said, are Likens and the current staff.
“I love the coaches,” Jackson said. “It’s been pretty consistent.”
