MT lands first piece of '19 puzzle
Hargrave Military Academy (VA) PF Tyson Jackson commits to Blue Raiders
Middle Tennessee head basketball coach Nick McDevitt landed his first prized recruit of the 2019 class on Friday when Hargrave Military Academy (VA) power forward Tyson Jackson took to social media to make his official announcement.
Jackson's commitment comes fresh off the heels of his official visit to Murfreesboro last weekend.
After landing in his role late in the '18 recruiting cycle, McDevitt and his staff were in full scramble mode as they tried to replace defections and piece the Blue Raider squad back together. It was a tumultuous time in many ways, but when the cycle ended, McDevitt and company wasted no time getting started on identifying and chasing down their next group of targets.
Knowing they needed a splash, the Blue Raiders accomplished just that by landing the highly touted Jackson.
A 3-star talent known for his supreme athleticism and aggressiveness, Jackson chose the Blue Raiders over offers from the likes of Houston, Georgia, Alabama, USF and others. In total, Jackson was sitting on 12 offers from the mid-to-high major level. He had previously taken an official visit to Houston the week before traveling to Murfreesboro.
The Blue Raiders' selling points were easy to identify as the process began with Jackson - the potential for early playing time at a conference championship caliber program who became known for producing player of the year recipients was more than enough clout to get the 6-foot-8 prospect interested. From there, McDevitt and his staff showed they have the chops for not only gaining interest from higher level prospects, but in sealing the deal as well.
After a stellar career at Creekside High (GA) where he garnered first team All-State honors in addition to two first team All-Region selections and a Coca-Cola Player of the Year award, Jackson also had a solid run through the AAU circuit with Atlanta Xpress. He has since transferred to Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia where he'll play a season of postgraduate ball before reporting the MT.
With the early signing period rapidly approaching, the Blue Raiders will look to build upon this commitment and lock down the remaining pieces of their 2019 class in the process.