FAU SIGNEE JACKSON HOPES HE CAN BOOST PASS RUSH
Two-star recruit vows to extend FAU’s pass rush success.
For most of this season, the Florida Atlan
tic defense struggled to record sacks in its first year without 2016 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year Trey Hendrickson, who is now a rookie with the New Orleans Saints.
Winter Garden-West Orange defensive end Franklin Jack- son, who signed his letter of intent with the Owls on Dec. 20, believes he can bring the Owls’ recent pass rush success into next year and beyond.
“I like what they got going down there,” Jackson told The Palm Beach Post earlier
this month. “I like the program; they treated my family real nice. ... It felt like it was home.”
A two-star recruit by 247Sports, Jackson was one of five players who signed with the Owls during the inaugural early signing period.
Having recorded 12 sacks for the Warriors this season, Jackson (6-2, 217) will join a crowded defensive end unit that will likely see Hunter Snyder and Leighton McCarthy, who combined for 10.5 sacks this season, return as starters in 2018. Tim Bonner, who was on “Last Chance U,” and Ernest Bagner are among the other notable pass rushers with another year of eligibility.
Before Jackson competes against them for snaps next summer, he praised his new teammates for immediately welcoming him into the fold on his visit.
“Everybody is real cool; they treated me like family,” Jackson said.
FAU had nine sacks in the Conference USA Championship against North Texas on Dec. 2 and five in last week’s 50-3 Boca Bowl rout of Akron. Jackson says his speed will present chances for those high totals to become the standard going forward.
The chance to play under Owls coach Lane Kiffin also was a reason for Jackson to, as Kiffin would tweet, “#cometothefaU.” Jackson committed to FAU a little more than a week before Kiffin signed a sixyear extension that presents the opportunity for him to stay in Boca Raton through 2027.
Jackson described Kiffin as “honest” in their talks, adding he was somewhat surprised at how Kiffin was in real life compared with his social media personality.
“He’s real chill, he’s a good guy,” Jackson said of Kiffin. “He’s down to earth.”
Kiffin outlined a plan for Jackson in meeting, one that includes the defensive end getting an opportunity to play as long as he’s ready. Two of Kiffin’s top recruits in 2017, wide receiver Willie Wright and safety Zyon Gilbert, became impact players for the Owls this season with that strategy; Wright finished the season as the first freshman in program history to lead the team in catches (56), yards (657) and receiving touchdowns (six).
Jackson plans on enrolling at FAU this summer and practicing with the team in fall camp.
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