BREAKING: Speedy Texas WR Darnell Jackson Commits to Utah

A whole lot of speed is headed to the Utah wide receiver room with the commitment of Darnell Jackson Jr.. Jackson was on campus for the Utes’ last big recruiting weekend and decided this was the place for him. He is now the 8th and final player from that weekend to commit to Utah.

The announcement:

Jackson made the announcement on Instagram live.

Who is Darnell Jackson?

Jackson is a 5’11” and 165-pound wide receiver out of Grand Oaks High School in Spring, Texas. Last season, Jackson recorded 430 yards and six touchdowns on 29 receptions.

Jackson was recently rated an 86 by Rivals making him a high three star prospect. His Industry score sits at 82 due to him not being rated by other services yet. He held offers from Northwestern, Texas Tech, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Pitt, Oklahoma State, and many other power programs.

Jackson’s timeline: How his decision came together

Utah offered Jackson on June 14th, and a visit was quickly scheduled between the two parties. The trip to Salt Lake marked Jackson’s third official visit of the season behind trips to Northwestern and Texas State.

During his official visit, Jackson connected with wide receivers coach Chad Bumphis and spoke highly of him.

“He’s a great person all around. He knows how to maneuver his players depending on what happens in a game. He’s a great person. A great coach too,” Jackson told UteZone after his official visit.

The Utah trait: Why Jackson is part of Morgan Scalley’s master plan

Jackson has elite speed, recently recording a 10.08-second 100 m time. That speed is hard to find and gives Jackson the upper hand in some situations. That speed will allow him to play either outside or in the slot.

When watching his film, Jackson shows off some impressive cuts and runs good routes. He knows how to get open and how to adjust to underthrown balls if needed. But with his speed, once he kicks it into second gear, he is gone.

With Jackson being able to play either on the outside or in the slot, there are some fun things the Utes might be able to do with personnel. There looks to be a mix of size and speed in that WR room starting in 2027, and it could prove to be a mismatch for opposing defenses.

Adding it up: Where Jackson fits in the class.

Utah is up to 20 commitments for the 2027 class with Jackson’s announcement. He is the 4th player from Texas to commit and the 9th offensive player in the class. Jackson is the second wide receiver to commit to Utah, joining Dillon Sykes in the room.