Toby Jackson didn’t expect to commit to Georiga this weekend, but after returning home to Griffin and talking with his parents, Jackson did just that Sunday night. It’s Georgia’s fourth commitment since May 18th – more than any other SEC school in that two-week period.
“Me and my dad looked at the campus and sat down to talk with the coaches,” Jackson said. “My dad felt really good about it and I really felt like this was they best choice for me. I was expecting to wait until the middle of the season to commit, but I decided to do it.”
Jackson was offered by the Bulldogs at the start of his junior season. A large defensive end, Jackson had been told by some schools, including Georgia at one time, that he would play defensive tackle in college. While Jackson has gained ten pounds in the last few months, he said tonight that he will play defensive end for the Dawgs.
“I felt really good about Georgia and my parents really felt good about it. It was a no brainier to me,” he said.
But that doesn’t mean that Jackson will no longer take visits to other schools. In fact, Jackson said he was curious to see what his commitment to Georgia will mean for the other schools pursuing him.
“I felt like if I committed to Georgia I would like to see what the other schools do,” he said. But Jackson maintains that he is committed to the Bulldogs.
“I am committed to Georgia completely,” he said. “I feel like Georgia is the best place for me. It is the place I want to be. The door is still open for the other schools and I don’t want to close the door on them, but if I had to sign tomorrow I would sign with Georgia. Out of all the schools we have gone to Georgia is the one that caught our eye. I really want to play for Coach Richt someday. My parents think I made the right decision and I do, too.”
For the foreseeable future Jackson will still visit other campuses and participate in camps, he said.
“I am going to go to a few more camps. I am going to get in condition. I am not just going to stop visiting place. I am still going to see what every else has to offer,” he said. “I want to get quicker and that’s why I am working on my speed and my agility.”
Jackson is the second defensive end to commit to the Bulldogs. The other, Cornelious Washington, was the first to commit to the Bulldogs in July of 2006. Jackson is Georgia’s 12th commitment for 2008 and is the second commitment since Friday.