2019 Season Countdown: #61 Giles Jackson

Name: Giles Jackson
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 179 lbs.
High school: Oakley (CA) Freedom
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Jackson was a senior in high school (LINK). He caught 63 passes for 1,254 yards and 13 touchdowns, along with 38 carries for 207 yards and three TDs, and adding a 65-yard punt return for a score.
TTB Rating: 76

Jackson committed to Michigan in September of 2018. There was some talk about him being a running back at the time, perhaps spurred by his high school career:

• Caught 63 passes for 1,254 yards and 13 touchdowns senior year; had 38 carries for 207 yards and three TDs, and added a 65-yard punt return for a score
• Rushed 221 times for 1,586 yards and 22 touchdowns as a junior, while adding 21 catches for 324 yards and five touchdowns
• Carried the ball only five times for 24 yards as a sophomore, but added 47 receptions for 842 yards and 13 touchdowns

From his sophomore year onward, his carries went from 5 to 221 to 38. His receptions went from 47 to 21 to 63. Perhaps his junior season position move to running back was a team personnel necessity, or maybe the coaching staff thought he could play running back before deciding that he needed to get ready to play receiver in college.

Either way, Jackson goes into the 2019 season with a chance to play wide receiver at Michigan. The departure of Oliver Martin might open some doors in that area, but the complexity and speed of the college game might hinder his immediate development as a summer enrollee. Ultimately, I think Jackson will end up redshirting, but he has the playmaking potential to work his way onto the field this fall.

Prediction: Redshirt

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