Tonight’s Hurry-Up:-Buckeyes showing interest in “miniature Mahomes” QB Tayven Jackson (@Tayvenjacksonn2)-Gi’Bran Payne (@upnexxt03) learning Tony Alford’s coaching style-OSU is ranked No. 2 with three top-150 commits in first 2022 Composite rankingshttps://t.co/nxqVijPjrL— Zack Carpenter (@Zack_Carp) July 17, 2020 “MINIATURE MAHOMES” Tayven Jackson’s teammates at Center Grove (Ind.) High School, or at least one of them, have a nickname for their young standout quarterback – one who is starting to get recruited by Ohio State and who is slated to get on the phone with Kevin Wilson sometime this week or next to open up communication lines for the first time. “He’s like a miniature Mahomes,” said Center Grove defensive lineman Caden Curry, telling Eleven Warriors that Jackson reminds him of the Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback. “One thing is he has the athletic ability. It’s crazy how much he can do with the ball. He can run with it. He can pass it. He’s just gotta build into his body and get stronger, and he’ll be a really good quarterback.” “He’s just fast with the ball, he can move out of the pocket, he can play with the running back and also throw the ball 50 yards downfield to somebody if he needs to. He’s got an arm on him. For the past two years, we’ve been a run-dominant team. But with him now at quarterback, we can open it up a little bit more. But we’re still mainly a running team. We’ll see what he can do this year to open it up some more and get some passes out there for him.” One thing that might be even more impressive than Jackson’s arm – one that Jackson says can actually unleash a ball 75 yards – that reminds Curry of Mahomes? “Well, he’s definitely got the hair down,” Curry says. Jackson is the son of Ray Jackson and the nephew of Chris Jackson – a cornerback and receiver, respectively, who graduated from powerhouse Mater Dei High School (California), played at Washington State and got some experience in the NFL. He is also the half-brother of Indiana basketball star Trayce Jackson-Davis, and his sister was a former high school All-American in volleyball who was recruited by Ohio State before she went to medical school and became a doctor. Center Grove (Ind.) quarterback Tayven Jackson is like a “miniature Mahomes,” says his teammate Caden Curry. Coming from such a highly athletic family has helped the two-sport athlete, who excels in football and basketball, throughout his young career. “They teach me a lot of stuff,” Jackson said. “(My dad and uncle) know so much about football. They have so much football IQ so I just listen. I don’t really talk about. For me, I don’t really know anything, and they know everything. So I just open up. I’m like a sponge, and I just soak it all up.” “(The recruiting process) is pretty new. My brother was a McDonald’s All-American. He got every school so, again, I was just like a sponge. I just watched him and whatever he did. So I just saw how he handled the recruiting process, and he’s been on my back going through this with me. So it’s nice to have everyone and have my whole family be there with me.” Some of the advice Jackson got from his older half-brother was to make good relationships with the coaches who recruit you and that it’s not all about being a five-star and getting an offer right away. Instead, it’s more crucial to make relationships with coaches “because if you go to that school, you’re gonna be there for 3-4 years, so you might as well make a great relationship with the coaches.” During the 2019 season, the 6-foot-5, 185 pound Jackson threw for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns on 92-of-175 pass attempts. But those numbers could improve for Jackson, who is hoping to remain on the Buckeyes’ radar going forward. Ohio State’s coaches have told Jackson’s head coach at Center Grove, Eric Moore, that they want to see more junior season film before they think about extending an offer. “I haven’t talked to them yet, but Coach said they like my footwork, they like the way I throw the ball, they like how I’m a dual-threat like Justin Fields,” Jackson said. “That’s what Coach said to me, but I can’t wait to get on the phone with them and talk to them because Ohio State’s just a big school. It’s one of my favorite schools.” Jackson only holds two offers right now, from Indiana and Central Michigan, but he says every Big Ten school and USC have been showing interest. Ohio State would probably be the early leader for Jackson if he were to receive an offer from the Buckeyes, as he has already loved what he’s seen there. In 2016, when his brother was being recruited by Ohio State, Jackson was essentially able to go on an unofficial visit to Columbus for the Buckeyes’ comeback against Penn State in The Shoe. The atmosphere there left a lasting impression, as did the program’s facilities. “It was just a blessing to be there,” Jackson said. “It was crazy all the blessings they have and all the machines and everything. I went in the weight room, and it was just crazy. It wasn’t about me. It was about my brother. So, again, I was in the background just chilling. I was just in the shadows.” While there, Jackson was hoping that one day he would be in his brother’s shoes, being recruited by big-time programs. Soon enough, his potential recruitment to Columbus will begin once he gets on the phone with Wilson. “I’m just gonna be a sponge,” Jackson said. “Just gonna soak up everything and ask him what I gotta work on, what he sees in me and what he has to say about Ohio State. Ohio State is gonna be a big school that if I get recruited there and get a scholarship, it’s gonna be a big school and a top contender to go there.”
Greenwood (Ind.) Center Grove 2022 QB Tayven Jackson showed a lot of promise today at the @QBCollective event in Indy: https://t.co/1bJs1XbLPI pic.twitter.com/4gO3GrzdYk— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) July 26, 2020
Greenwood (Ind.) Center Grove 2022 QB Tayven Jackson had a strong showing at the @QBCollective event over the weekend. He talks about that, is offer from #IUFB and more here: https://t.co/QvmnSYxBCO— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) July 29, 2020
Center Grove 2022 QB Tayven Jackson throws it where only his guy Garrett Keith could get it to put his team up four scores: https://t.co/1bJs1XbLPI pic.twitter.com/bokznUOwPN— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) August 21, 2020
Ohio State's options at quarterback in the 2022 class are wide open. @MarcGivler watched one of the Midwest's best on Friday night and he's speaking with the #Buckeyes on a weekly basis: https://t.co/lYqc5r2zON— BuckeyeScoop (@BuckeyeScoop) August 25, 2020
Watch some of Greenwood (Ind.) Center Grove QB Tayven Jackson's performance at the @QBCollective Event: https://t.co/ZETX0vxH4X #Indiana #Spartans #ASU— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) September 2, 2020
Watch: New scouting video of 2022 quarterback and Indiana recruiting target Tayven Jackson (@Tayvenjacksonn2) of Class 6A No. 1 @CGTrojanFootbal who has offers/interest from more than a dozen schools already. #iufb @CGSportsNetwork https://t.co/CUSb52yFym— Jeff Rabjohns (@JeffRabjohns) September 15, 2020
#AGTG Very thankful to have received an offer from The University of Iowa🟡⚫️🐤!!! Special thanks to @CoachK_Bell, and the rest of the staff! pic.twitter.com/O76ujYHmUf— Tayven jackson (@Tayvenjacksonn2) September 19, 2020
#AGTG Very thankful to have received an offer from The University of Minnesota〽️ Special thanks to @ChadWilt, @Coach_Fleck, and the rest of the staff!!! pic.twitter.com/lep9FtH6yg— Tayven jackson (@Tayvenjacksonn2) September 20, 2020
Ind. 2022 QB Tayven Jackson added #Iowa and #Minnesota offers to his growing list last weekend.“The past couple months of my life have been great. I’ve been very blessed.”Jackson discusses both schools and current recruiting approach: https://t.co/u1V5FETa8c pic.twitter.com/gXXUM5ffJb— Josh Helmholdt (@JoshHelmholdt) September 23, 2020
Center Grove 2022 QB Tayven Jackson just led his team downfield capped by this to go up 17-13 over Cathedral with 16 seconds left. https://t.co/1bJs1XbLPI pic.twitter.com/A9tlpFxuVt— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) October 17, 2020
Greenwood (Ind.) Center Grove 2022 QB Tayven Jackson updates his recruitment after helping guide his team to a 9-0 regular season Friday night. https://t.co/ILjmKK3bDR #ASU #Indiana #MichiganState #Rutgers #Minnesota #Iowa— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) October 19, 2020
Halftime Highlight: @CGTrojanFootbal @Tayvenjacksonn2 rifles one to @trenton_veith for 6. Trojans up on @rocksathletics 38-7 at the half. Full game highlights coming soon to https://t.co/33Ugb8JEvw. pic.twitter.com/NSkBI7r01V— Clark Wade (@ClarkWade34) November 28, 2020