Giles Jackson will be playing at the Big House on Sept. 11.
But not as a Michigan man.
On Sunday, Jackson — a 5-foot-9, 188-pound athlete and cousin of UW safety signee Vince Nunley — announced his transfer from Michigan to Washington. He has three seasons of remaining eligibility.
“Washington has always been one of my dream schools growing up,” Jackson told The Seattle Times in a phone interview on Sunday. “I always wanted to play in the Pac-12. Having the opportunity to play for them, it’s a great decision. And my little cousin is going there, so he also played a huge part in that decision.
“But just to play with him and go to the Pac-12 and live out my dreams, that’s a big reason why (I chose Washington).”
“They reached out right away,” said Jackson, who works out with Nunley nearly every day at a facility in California. “And as soon as they reached out, I called Vince, and he didn’t answer for like four hours. I was like, ‘Bro, Washington just called me. I’m trying to go!’ He’s been bugging me ever since (to commit).”
The Huskies are scheduled to play at Michigan in their second game of the season.
Despite his departure, Jackson certainly made an impact at Michigan. In two seasons in Ann Arbor, the speedster from Oakley, Calif., recorded 24 receptions for 309 yards and a touchdown, while adding 26.4 yards per kick return and two special-teams scores as well. He was expected to be a starting wide receiver for the Wolverines this season.
“I just wanted to be closer to family overall,” Jackson said of what motivated the move. “I wanted them to be able to come to the games, and they weren’t able to do that at Michigan.”
Instead, they’ll be able to do that at UW — where he’ll bring elite speed to a wide-receiver room largely known for its length.
“I feel like I can complement them, with (Washington having) a couple big receivers,” said Jackson, who has never been to Seattle but will attend the spring game May 1 before enrolling this summer. “I can spread the field and be a deep threat, take some heat off them.”
There seemed to be heat on UW wide-receivers coach Junior Adams earlier this offseason, with five wideouts — Puka Nacua, Ty Jones, Marquis Spiker, Austin Osborne and Jordan Chin — transferring out of the program. But in Jackson and Texas Tech sophomore transfer Ja’Lynn Polk, Adams has added a pair of play-making wide receivers with proven Power Five production.
UW is currently slated to feature eight scholarship wide receivers this summer: senior Terrell Bynum, sophomores Jackson, Polk and Taj Davis, redshirt freshmen Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan and Sawyer Racanelli, and incoming four-star freshman Jabez Tinae.
Jackson — who starred at Freedom High School in Oakley before signing with Michigan in 2019 — was ranked as a four-star prospect, the No. 30 wide receiver and the No. 233 overall prospect in the 2019 class by 247Sports. At The Opening Finals in July 2018, Jackson recorded a 4.43-second 40-yard dash and a 38.5-inch vertical jump.
In a written evaluation, 247Sports national recruiting editor Brandon Huffman noted Jackson “doesn’t have great size, but plays with toughness and physicality. A dynamic playmaker who can score every time he touches the ball. Plays with an edge to his game. Shifty with the ball in his hands, can play running back or receiver. At his best when he has the ball in space. Sub 4.0 shuttle time. Can return kicks and punts. Has elite top-end speed. Multi-year Power 5 starter and projects as a third-day NFL draft pick.”
Jackson initially chose the Wolverines over an offer list that included California, Colorado, Florida, Oregon, USC and others.
The second time around, he’ll live the dream alongside his cousin at UW.
But you better believe he’s excited to get back to The Big House.
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