What Spencer Rattler told five-star G.G. Jackson
Spencer Rattler and G.G. Jackson may play entirely different sports but they have at least one major thing in common.
Both have experienced the highs and the lows, the pressures and the perks, the fame and the criticisms of being five-star prospects among the very best out of high school in their respective sports.
If you’ve been living under a rock, Rattler is of course the former No. 1 quarterback in the 2019 class who recently transferred from Oklahoma to South Carolina and spoke to the assembled media on Wednesday for the first time since that transition.
And Jackson is a five-star power forward from Columbia’s Ridge View High, ranked the top player in the state and the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2023 class according to Rivals.
Jackson, a huge priority target for Frank Martin and the Gamecocks, took his official visit to South Carolina two weekends ago. Part of that extensive look at everything his home school has to offer was the opportunity to meet Rattler.
“It was really cool,” Rattler said Wednesday. “I didn’t know who he was until I met him, looked up his Instagram and saw he was one of, if not the, best player in his class in the country. I got to come down and meet him. He was very excited, which humbled me, knowing that this kid is years younger than me, he said he’s been watching my highlights since he was in middle school.
“That means a lot, especially from a different sport. I played basketball myself, so I guess we kind of have that connection. I told him I could still get on that court with him if he wanted to. But nah, I told him, ‘You’re from here, you might as well come here and stay home. Everybody loves you here, you’re a great player, and you’ll make the basketball team better.'”
Related
- G.G. Jackson goes in-depth on South Carolina official visit
- Spencer Rattler discusses “refreshing” transition to South Carolina
- Spencer Rattler’s message to those who have questions his character
If the Gamecocks can land Jackson, he will almost certainly instantly elevate the program.
Jackson, who spoke with Gamecock Central’s Collyn Taylor after his Gamecock visit, says he and Rattler also discussed the name, image and likeness opportunities he would have at South Carolina as a local standout and national-level prospect.
“It stuck out to me. They told me how Spencer is doing great in the NIL,” Jackson said. “He told me himself that I’m from here and I’m number one here and it would be perfect for NIL.”
South Carolina, North Carolina and Duke all hosted him on official visits recently and it’s expected to come down to those three schools when he likely announces soon.
The On3 Consensus – a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies – has Jackson as the No. 7 overall prospect and top power forward in his class. Jackson is the consensus No. 1 prospect in the state of South Carolina.
Rattler and the Gamecocks football team begin spring practice on March 15.
