Showcase notebook: USC offers prospect whose father starred at Florida under Spurrier

Among the visitors grabbing the attention of South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier at the Gamecock Showcase on Saturday was wide receiver/defensive back Tre Jackson of Baton Rouge, La.

Jackson (5-10, 178) is a national level Class of 2016 recruit whose other offers include Oklahoma, North Carolina, Mississippi State, Florida, Kansas State, Purdue and West Virginia.

He is the son of Jack Jackson, who starred as a wide receiver at Florida under Steve Spurrier in the 1990s.

“How weird is it that Coach Spurrier offered my dad a scholarship 24 years ago now he offered me one lol,” he tweeted.

Jackson did not work out, but Spurrier and his staff had enough information on him to make him an offer. Spurrier likes Jackson as a receiver but won’t keep him away from the defense if he decides to join the Gamecocks.

“Coach Spurrier said he wants me to play receiver but when I get here it’s my decision,” Jackson said. “It was a real good experience. It was my first time being out here and I had a real good impression of the campus, academics, all the new facilities they are building and getting a good relationship with the coaching staff. They are probably one of my top schools right now.”

Jackson said part of what he learned from Spurrier on his visit was the depth chart on both sides of the ball and how he might would fit in.

“He compared me a lot to Ace Sanders and how he contributed on offense and the return game,” Jackson said. “He also told me they were losing a couple of DBs this year and they have room for people to come in early and play on the defensive side of the ball.”

Jackson also has camped at TCU. He also wants to visit North Carolina and Oklahoma this summer.

He’s looking at making his decision the end of summer or around the start of football season. He said there’s a 90 percent likelihood he will take an official visit to USC this fall. He’s not as sure on any other official visits at this point.

▪ DE Jordan Smith (6-5 220) of Lithonia, GA paid a visit to USC Friday and Saturday for the Gamecock Showcase. He did not participate in camp events and spent his time observing and checking out the program. It was not his first visit to USC. He previously had been in for a game.

“It kind of boosted it a little bit,” Smith said of USC’s position with him after the visit. “I saw some stuff I didn’t get to see last time.”

Smith said USC was his first visit of the of the month and he currently has no other visits or camps planned. He said he plans to make a commitment before his season and he has a clear leader. It’s Clemson. Smith did not identify a second place team but said USC was “high up” with him.

▪ USC RB commit CJ Freeman of Greensboro, NC, was not be able to make it to the Gamecock Showcase camp because of some family plans. Freeman said he remains committed to the Gamecocks.

▪ WR Brad Hawkins Jr of Camden, NJ said after USC camp Saturday USC and Michigan are tied at the top for him.

▪ WR Kyle Davis of Lawrenceville, Ga., a former USC commit, did not make it to the Showcase as planned.

▪ OL Pete Leota of Asheville, N.C., said after the camp that USC and Virginia Tech are his top two at this point. He will visit UNC and Virginia Tech this summer and wants to see Georgia, Ole Miss and Tennessee. Offensive line coach Shawn Elliott nicknamed him “El Toro” after Leota’s camp performance.

▪ OL Akeem Cooperwood did not make it to USC Saturday. He said Shawn Elliott wants him to camp in July.

▪ OL Luke Elder of LaGrange, Ga., said after USC camp that USC and UNC are his top two at this point.

▪ USC offered 2017 OL teammates Eric Douglas and TJ Moore of Charlotte at camp Saturday.

▪ USC offered 2017 WR Trey Blount of Powder Springs, Ga., at camp Saturday.

View our photo gallery from Saturday's Gamecock Showcase camp.

This story was originally published June 14, 2015 at 1:07 AM.