Bellaire (Texas) Episcopal five-star offensive guard Donovan Jackson officially ended his recruitment when he signed with Ohio State during the first day of the Early Signing Period on Wednesday.
The 6-4, 308-pound Jackson – who is considered the top-rated offensive guard and No. 17 prospect overall in the class of 2021 – picked the Buckeyes over finalists Georgia, Stanford, Texas and Texas A&M on Jan. 8.
Jackson’s relationship with the Ohio State staff dates back to middle school, when he attended a one-day camp in Columbus as an eighth-grader. He landed an offer from offensive line coach Greg Studrawa just a few months later, which was his first offer from a Power 5 school. But that said, his affinity for the Buckeyes goes back much further.
Jackson’s parents are originally from Ohio and his grandmother still lives in Cincinnati, so he grew up rooting for Ohio State despite living 1,000 miles away in Texas. He attended the 2019 spring game and returned for an unofficial visit for the win over Penn State that November, which sealed the deal in his recruitment.
“Ohio State is unique because you not only graduate with a great degree, but they provide so much after football,” Jackson told Buckeye Sports Bulletin at the time.
Jackson is joined in the Buckeyes’ 2021 recruiting class by Richfield (Ohio) Revere four-star guard Ben Christman and Floyds Knobs (Ind.) Floyd Central four-star offensive tackle Zen Michalski.
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