After letting the drama build up over the last year, 2020 defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson didn’t waste any time finally putting Alabama fans out of their misery on Wednesday morning.
“I’m gonna be short, sweet and simple,” Jackson said. “For the next three to four years, I’ll be attending Texas A&M.”
Jackson, the No. 7 defensive tackle and No. 72 overall player in the class, would have been the Crimson Tide's most significant addition on Wednesday and even moved the Crimson Tide to the number one spot in the Rivals.com team rankings. The future Aggie said Texas A&M had the best alumni, networking and branding opportunities for him.
Jackson said the Crimson Tide was his second option because it also offered good networking and branding opportunities.“Besides that, they’re built for winning,” Jackson said.
Jackson never referenced winning when discussing the school he chose. He never said anything about playing time either, but it seems likely that played a role in his decision.
His competition in Tuscaloosa would include three sophomores, D.J. Dale, Byron Young and Justin Eboigbe, that found their way into the starting lineup for Alabama as freshmen in 2019.
“I think we need to make significant improvements with those guys,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said on Wednesday while discussing rising sophomores on the defensive line. “But I always say guys improve a lot from their first year to their second year. They have a better understanding of what’s expected. They have a chance to develop a little bit physically, especially from the line positions.”
Then there’s redshirt sophomore Christian Barmore who earned a spot on the SEC coaches’ Freshman All-SEC team after he recorded 26 tackles, six for loss, and two sacks in 12 games last season.
Not to mention redshirt junior LaBryan Ray, who seemed poised to play a starring role for Alabama’s front seven last year before suffering a season-ending injury against South Carolina during the third week of the season.
“I think the biggest thing was we got a significant number of guys in the front seven. … Because I think the lack of depth at that position last year was a factor for us,” Saban said on Wednesday. “I think we were pretty good, but as soon as we lost LaBryan Ray, as soon as we lost two inside linebackers. … It wasn’t quite the standard of what we would like to be able to play with on a consistent basis.”
Speaking of additions to front seven, Alabama signed 10 in the new class, including defensive tackles Tim Smith, Jah-Marien Latham and Jamil Burroughs, who rank as the No. 4, 23 and 24 defensive tackles in the 2020 class. Alabama also signed a pair of five-star weakside defensive ends in William Anderson Jr. and Chris Braswell.
With all of those new and familiar faces waiting in the wings, it seems likely that Jackson would have been competing for a reduced role in 2020.
Yes, he would have been a valuable get for the Crimson Tide, but Jackson’s decision to head west shouldn’t haunt the program next season. Especially considering he’d have to beat out Smith, the No. 42 overall freshman, just to be the top newcomer among the tackles.
“Tim is a very talented guy,” Saban said in December. “Very athletic for his size. Over 6-4, 320 pounds. Plays basketball. Very nimble on his feet. Has some initial quickness, power and strike ability. We think he could play inside or out and I think anytime you get a dominant guy up front, which I think he is, that’s a real asset to your program.”
“I’m gonna be short, sweet and simple,” Jackson said. “For the next three to four years, I’ll be attending Texas A&M.”
Jackson, the No. 7 defensive tackle and No. 72 overall player in the class, would have been the Crimson Tide's most significant addition on Wednesday and even moved the Crimson Tide to the number one spot in the Rivals.com team rankings. The future Aggie said Texas A&M had the best alumni, networking and branding opportunities for him.
Jackson said the Crimson Tide was his second option because it also offered good networking and branding opportunities.“Besides that, they’re built for winning,” Jackson said.
Jackson never referenced winning when discussing the school he chose. He never said anything about playing time either, but it seems likely that played a role in his decision.
His competition in Tuscaloosa would include three sophomores, D.J. Dale, Byron Young and Justin Eboigbe, that found their way into the starting lineup for Alabama as freshmen in 2019.
“I think we need to make significant improvements with those guys,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said on Wednesday while discussing rising sophomores on the defensive line. “But I always say guys improve a lot from their first year to their second year. They have a better understanding of what’s expected. They have a chance to develop a little bit physically, especially from the line positions.”
Then there’s redshirt sophomore Christian Barmore who earned a spot on the SEC coaches’ Freshman All-SEC team after he recorded 26 tackles, six for loss, and two sacks in 12 games last season.
Not to mention redshirt junior LaBryan Ray, who seemed poised to play a starring role for Alabama’s front seven last year before suffering a season-ending injury against South Carolina during the third week of the season.
“I think the biggest thing was we got a significant number of guys in the front seven. … Because I think the lack of depth at that position last year was a factor for us,” Saban said on Wednesday. “I think we were pretty good, but as soon as we lost LaBryan Ray, as soon as we lost two inside linebackers. … It wasn’t quite the standard of what we would like to be able to play with on a consistent basis.”
Speaking of additions to front seven, Alabama signed 10 in the new class, including defensive tackles Tim Smith, Jah-Marien Latham and Jamil Burroughs, who rank as the No. 4, 23 and 24 defensive tackles in the 2020 class. Alabama also signed a pair of five-star weakside defensive ends in William Anderson Jr. and Chris Braswell.
With all of those new and familiar faces waiting in the wings, it seems likely that Jackson would have been competing for a reduced role in 2020.
Yes, he would have been a valuable get for the Crimson Tide, but Jackson’s decision to head west shouldn’t haunt the program next season. Especially considering he’d have to beat out Smith, the No. 42 overall freshman, just to be the top newcomer among the tackles.
“Tim is a very talented guy,” Saban said in December. “Very athletic for his size. Over 6-4, 320 pounds. Plays basketball. Very nimble on his feet. Has some initial quickness, power and strike ability. We think he could play inside or out and I think anytime you get a dominant guy up front, which I think he is, that’s a real asset to your program.”
