Auburn 'feels like home' to Mississippi's No. 1 recruit
AUBURN | Four-star defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson returned to Auburn over the weekend for an official visit.
Jackson, from George County (Miss.), already was familiar with Auburn. He had been to Auburn several times before, including for the Georgia game in November.
“I just wanted to get my family over here again and see how they felt, just get another visit in and see how I felt about Auburn University,” Jackson said.
Jackson is glad he did.
“It boosts their chances even more,” Jackson said. “I love the family atmosphere.”
Jackson arrived in Auburn on Friday and stayed until Sunday. He spent time with defensive line coach Rodney Garner, area recruiter Marcus Woodson and defensive coordinator Kevin Steele. He also hung out with Derick Hall and Jaren Handy, freshmen defensive linemen from Mississippi.
“It feels like home,” Jackson said. “I have a couple of guys from Mississippi that play here. My family has family here. There is nothing strange about it. And Coach Woodson is from the coast of Mississippi. Everything around me is like Mississippi. There isn’t anything too different.”
Jackson saw both Hall and Handy play as true freshmen. It was an appealing site to him.
“It lets me know that anything can happen if you put the work in,” Jackson said. “They played this year. Derick, I saw him in the Georgia game showing out. They have told me what Auburn has done for them and what Auburn can do for me.”
Jackson already has visited Alabama. He’ll visit Texas A&M and LSU in January. He’s narrowed his list to the four schools. In-state Ole Miss no longer is being considered.
“I canceled my Ole Miss official, just throwing them out of my top five,” Jackson said. “I feel like it’s too late to get to know the guy (new coach Lane Kiffin). Not that he’s a bad guy. It’s just too late (to build a relationship). That adds on the chances of me going to Auburn.”
Jackson, who is 6-foot-1 and 315 pounds, plans to announce his college choice Feb. 5.
Rivals ranks Jackson the No. 1 overall recruit in Mississippi, the No. 8 defensive tackle in the 2020 class and No. 83 in the Rivals100.
