McLane offers Jackson big stage

Hobbies are a good thing.

If you're really good at one, it could open a lot of doors. At one time, Mark Jackson looked at football as a hobby because he thought basketball would be his calling.

Not anymore. Baylor is one of many Division I programs pretty thankful that the 2016 Cibolo Steele defensive end Mark Jackson put the basketball down for good.

A talented athlete in both football and basketball, Jackson realized a couple of years ago that basketball probably wasn't going to be his future for a chance to play Division I athletics. Football would.

The Bears, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Texas are among the first to offer Jackson. But at this rate, the Rivals No. 199 prospect's offer board is going to fill up with much more. Expect the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Oregon and Florida State to follow suit. Jackson's teammate, 2016 running back Bryson Denley will also be there.

That's for later. What's immediate is that Jackson and Cibolo Steele (3-0) meet DeSoto (3-0) in a matchup of Top 10 Class 6A programs at 7:00 p.m. Thursday at Baylor's McLane Stadium. DeSoto is No. 2. Cibolo Steele is No. 4.

"I think I've done pretty good to this point,'' Jackson said. "I still want to perfect my pass rush. I know I'm going to get more attention and that teams are going to adapt to me. I still need to work on my stance. But I'm getting more comfortable.''

This will be Jackson's second appearance at McLane. He was one of Baylor's guests for the McLane Stadium opener against SMU on Aug. 31. It's been a good start between Jackson and Baylor.

Jackson has had fairly consistent contact with Baylor assistant coach Chris Achuff and has started to develop a pretty decent rapport with the noted greater San Antonio recruiter.

"I feel comfortable with coach Achuff,'' Jackson said. "He's a real cool dude. I really didn't know the campus that well, but when I came for the SMU game, I really liked everything - the campus, stadium and the feel of everything.''

As he watched the game, it dawned on him he would be on the McLane Stadium field in a couple of weeks. He also paid close attention to the Bears defensive end duo of Shawn Oakman and Jamal Palmer. He came away impressed how Palmer played.

There still seems to be a ways to go in Jackson's recruiting situation. He said a lot of schools have been asking for films and transcripts. But most programs appear to be looking at him as a defensive end, although Oklahoma has mentioned a hybrid of linebacker and defensive end.

"When I looked at Baylor, I got an idea as to how I could fit into that scheme,'' Jackson said. "The defensive ends were quick off the edge. But right now, I'm just trying not to get too high about everything.''