For Jackson, Time is Now to Fulfill Promise Elsewhere
Wideout to sit out upcoming season to prepare for NFL Draft
Mike Brohard
Those who have played with him, coached him, all believe the same thing about Warren Jackson.
He has a bright future ahead of him. Truth is, people have always said as much. These days, they’re referring to a professional career, but it wasn’t so long ago it was a reference to what he could do in green and gold.
It was 2017 when Warren Jackson arrived on campus, a tall, lean wideout from California. It also happened to be Michael Gallup’s senior season, and he was about to blow up. By the time Colorado State rolled into Tuscaloosa, Ala., for a mid-September game, people all around the country were already taking notice.
Gallup had 11 catches the first week against Oregon State. The Tide knew all about him, but he still shook free for five catches for 81 yards against the top-ranked team in the nation. While Ram fans will reel off a top five of their favorite Gallup catches that season, there are only two from the Alabama game anyone recalls, and neither of them included Gallup at the receiving end.
No, it was the skinny freshman. Jackson hadn’t been used much that year to that point, and really, not much after (see Gallup’s Biletnikoff and All-American numbers for reference). But those two catches.
Wow. What do the Rams have here?
Well, the offensive staff kind of knew. See, those plays, they were part of the game plan. They had seen enough of Jackson in practice and had watched enough tape of the ‘Bama secondary to feel they had an edge. Deep in the red zone, let’s use his height.
Forget what images it put in the minds of fans. Think about what it did to the confidence of a freshman.
“I knew this was the place I was supposed to be, because as a recruit coming in, you want to believe everything you can from a coach, and sometimes you can’t,” Jackson said. “They say things like, ‘that may happen.’ They told me they were going to use me early. I was not here to redshirt, but develop to play. Then showing action, putting me into play, at that moment I realized I made the right decision.”
It was a no-brainer for me at this point, especially with what’s’ going on now. It’s risky to play now. It was tough because I wanted to stay with my teammates, but all of the deciding factors pointed right at why I should leave.Warren Jackson
As everybody came to find out in 2019, Jackson was something special. He was first-team All-Mountain West with 77 catches for 1,119 yards and eight scores in 10 games. He ranked among the nation’s leaders in catches and yards per game. He was dynamic with 12 catches against Toledo. He was sensational versus New Mexico, with 214 yards and an 87-yard touchdown reception.
If the world was normal, Colorado State fans would be anticipating more. One more season of Jackson. He’s still tall (6-foot-6), but far from lanky, now surpassing 220 pounds on his frame. His routes are better, his actions cleaner. He was an escape route on every play, intended target or not.
But the world isn’t normal. Last Monday, the Mountain West announced it was postponing the football season and all fall sports for the 2020 season. Maybe, if possible, the season will be played in the spring. For somebody in Jackson’s situation – looking at an NFL future – that became problematic.
He talked to family. He spoke with friends. He drew opinions from the coaches who have helped mold him. In the end, it was pretty much unanimous – he should turn his attention toward the NFL Draft, one which promises to be deep in receiving riches. There are just too many unknowns to try to account for down the road. Coronavirus. Injury. Timing.
“It was a no-brainer for me at this point, especially with what’s’ going on now,” Jackson said. “It’s risky to play now. It was tough because I wanted to stay with my teammates, but all of the deciding factors pointed right at why I should leave.”
He said he’ll miss his teammates most of all, especially the crew he’s been living with for a while. He will not be too far away, however, as he has decided to workout with Landow Performance in Denver to prepare for the draft, and he has signed on with Athletes First to represent him. Jackson also intends to pursue his degree the remainder of this year via online classes.
Jackson had two catches that afternoon on the big stage, and they only accounted for 7 yards. But both of them were acrobatic touchdown grabs, going high above Tide defenders and reaching out to make sensational catches. How good? Randy Moss Tweeted out about the second one.
Nice job kid.
What it told everybody immediately was Jackson was athletic. He had a nose for the ball. His length gave him catch radius, and he could use his body to either create separation or use it so close quarters didn’t matter. CSU just had to give it time.
Jackson would show a little more the following year, again playing a sidekick roll to Preston Williams, who, like Gallup, would go off at the end of the season to the NFL. The highlight was Jackson’s first 100-yard game, coming on the road at Boise State – 105 yards on nine catches and a pair of scores. To that point, Jackson had three games where he scored touchdowns, and in each instance he had two.
No one can dispute Jackson used his time out of the spotlight wisely. He took mental notes of what Gallup and Williams were doing all the time. In meetings. During practice. Before games and in the offseason.
He would compare his mistakes with theirs, and he would use theirs as valuable information.
“There was just so much. If I look at myself my sophomore year and now, I’d say I’ve grown in a lot of different ways, and not just on the football field,” Jackson said. “They taught me so many things I never thought about, and they showed me those little things really matter. Even when they messed up, I still learned from their mistakes. Having two years of learning from their mistakes and them also giving me free advice, it helped me out so much. I’ve grown tremendously, and they are two of the reasons why.”
Last year was Jackson’s time to take the lead role, and even this year, with the change in coaching staff and offensive system, that wasn’t supposed to change. New offensive coordinator Joey Lynch made it clear: Despite the Rams’ desire to be a power running team, one does not forget the talents possessed by Jackson.
Everybody expected it to be more of the same, and Jackson was tabbed as the preseason Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year. As much as the new regime wanted to call plays with Jackson as a focal point, they understand Jackson had to do what was best for him, especially when factoring in all of the unknowns.
“I definitely understand,” said CSU receivers coach Kenny Guiton. “I think it’s definitely in his best interest to do what he’s doing. If you and the people around you know what’s best for you, go pursue it. I couldn’t wait to work with him, and to tell you the truth, it goes beyond the player he is. He’s more than just a great player, a great guy and he’s a guy that brings in energy and he goes out and executes, and it was fun to watch.”
If the world had remained normal, Jackson would be playing one more season. He wanted that final campaign with his team, and most definitely with specific teammates. He has seen some in his recruiting class leave early, but there are a handful still around who he knows have put in as much work as he has, and they all wanted one more shot to do it right.
Besides, Jackson said, he still had so much more he could put on tape. He wanted to show improved speed, and how he plans to use his increased strength. He wanted to be more explosive after the catch, and he wanted to show he could be an even better blocker.
His teammates were looking forward to watching it all unfold, but they understand as much as anybody the current state of college football and what challenges it would present to Jackson. They’ll miss him, sure, but they offer their full support of him pursing a dream.
“Sure, I’d love to have him around,” quarterback Patrick O’Brien said. “He made it easy for me at times. I could put the ball up and he’d go up and catch it. We all understand. He has to do what’s best for him and his family, what he believes is best for his future and I’m with him all the way.”
What Jackson will always take with him is that day in Tuscaloosa. As expected, it was so loud, with 101,821 in attendance on a beautiful evening. As expected, it was loud before the first kick, and it remained so throughout much of the evening.
Save for a few points, when veteran quarterback Nick Stevens targeted a young wideout.
“That would probably be my fondest memory,” Jackson said. “I just remember the crowd getting so quiet. They were so loud at one point, and it got so quiet. It shocked me how quiet it could get. That was something I remember instantly.”
At the end of the first half, Jackson’s first touchdown brought a momentary hush to the crowd, as it cut the Alabama lead to 17-10. By the time he made his second catch, the contest was out of reach, but it still stood to serve notice of a promising future ahead.
One which still exists. He has plenty of people to lean on, with former CSU teammates Gallup, Williams and Bisi Johnson on speed dial for advice. For Jackson to find how bright his future it, it just became time to change the scenery.