‘The first face they see’: How Jessica Jackson helps South Carolina recruiting
Keveon Mullins’ Memphis accent is going to be a hit at future South Carolina news conferences. Derek Boykins is going to shine at linebacker — and in the classroom at USC. Jahmar Brown’s official visit included several detours.
If you weren’t following Jessica Jackson’s Twitter account Wednesday, you might have missed the above details about members of Carolina’s 2019 football recruiting class.
Jackson is in her third season as USC’s director of on-campus recruiting. Hired in January 2016 by head coach Will Muschamp, Jackson primary responsibilities includes the coordination of all official and unofficial recruiting visits. She also manages all recruiting documentation.
“Any time a recruit comes on campus, it pretty much comes through me,” Jackson said in an SBNation story last August. “I plan out their schedule, who they’re meeting with, what time they’re meeting with who, when they’re going to see Coach Muschamp, when they’re going to see their position coach. I’m the first face they see when they get on campus. I’m the one handing them their name tag.”
Such connections were obvious on National Signing Day. Jackson seemingly had an anecdote for every new Gamecock.
On four-star quarterback Ryan Hilinksi, she tweeted: “There isn’t enough characters for me to tweet all the amazing things about this young man. Ryan is by far one of the most mature and genuine people I have ever met. He is a gentleman and only calls me Ms. Jackson. If I text him, he texts me right back.”
SBNation reported in August 2017 that Jackson was one of 22 women working in recruiting offices at ACC or SEC schools.
“She’s the liaison on campus for all parents in situations of academics, questions about housing,” Muschamp said Wednesday. “There’s a multitude of questions you can imagine that a parent’s going to have about her son going to school in Columbia. And she does a fantastic job with the parents, talking to the parents and talking them through.
“I probably don’t know about one-eighth of what she has to deal with, but I only have to deal with it when it gets to me and haven’t had any issues in three years. So that means she’s doing a really good job.”
Muschamp has landed top 25 recruiting classes in each of the last three seasons.
“(Jackson) was very helpful,” said sophomore receiver Shi Smith, a four-star prospect in the ‘17 class. “She was there any time I needed her. She knew what to do, where to go and she was there on campus.
“She’s a great help.”
