STONY BROOK, N.Y. — Jaidan Jackson did not lose a high school football game in three seasons on varsity, winning two Long Island championships, plus a Georgia state title after relocating for his senior year.
His favorite memory came from the first of those titles — when older brother Jordan produced a game-ending interception that sealed Freeport's 20-19 win against William Floyd in the Long Island championship game.
"Seeing my brother catch the pick and running and sliding — then running down the field hugging everyone — was just a good feeling," Jackson said.
Jackson soon will be reunited with his brother Jordan at Stony Brook, after officially signing a letter of intent last Wednesday.
A 6-foot-3, 270-pound nose tackle, Jackson tallied 26 tackles, six tackles for loss, one forced fumble and three sacks as a senior at Grayson High School in Loganville, Ga., this past fall. The team won the Georgia 7A state title and was ranked second nationally by MaxPreps.
The family, including Jackson's parents — who moved with him to Georgia so he could experience a senior season of football — since have returned to Freeport so Jackson can graduate with his longtime classmates.
"Jaidan and I were always extremely close growing up, and football has always been a big part of our lives," said Jordan, a redshirt freshman defensive back with the Seawolves this spring.
Because the brothers are separated by two years in school, their only time playing on the same team came during that 2018 title with Freeport — when Jackson made the varsity as a sophomore and older brother Jordan was a senior standout.
Said Jordan: "At the end of his freshman year he told me, 'Bro, I wanna play varsity with you.' And I told him, 'It's not often that Coach (Russ) Cellan pulls up younger guys to varsity. So if you really want to do that, you're going to have to work extremely hard.' That is exactly what he did the entire summer. He didn't miss one workout, and he got pulled up.
"Winning a championship with my younger brother has to be my favorite football memory. Being able to potentially do that again here at Stony Brook is a blessing in itself. I can't really describe how I feel to know that my younger brother chose to come play football with me when he had many different options and opportunities. These next few years are going to be a movie, with the Jackson brothers being back together on the defensive side of the ball."
With high school sports on Long Island idled this past fall due to COVID-19, Jackson had followed former Freeport teammate Victoine Brown to Grayson High School for their senior years. Brown's family had relocated to Georgia a couple of years earlier, after participating with the Jacksons on the 2018 Long Island title team. Brown, a defensive end, signed with Louisville in December.
Said Jackson: "My friend, Victoine, moved down there sophomore year. It was really hard at first, until we started talking about the coaching staff and how the school and area is. It became more comfortable after visiting. After a while it became more comfortable and things became more easy."
As for playing with the elite high school program in Georgia, Jackson added: "It was a real great time being around a bunch of dudes who are going to huge Power 5 schools and playing against competition where everybody is 6-5, 300 pounds. It was a great experience. Being at Grayson definitely made me a better player and made me ready for college."
Last Wednesday, when Jackson announced his decision to attend Stony Brook, where he will study business management, brother Jordan — a redshirt freshman defensive back — cheered in excitement.
"Stony Brook was my best decision because my brother goes there, I know the whole coaching staff, I know half the team, and I know the area," Jackson said. "I know the atmosphere around Stony Brook and I love it."
Said Jordan: "I would describe
Jaidan Jackson as an extremely talented, hard worker who knows exactly what it takes to be great. He is a straight dawg on the field, and soon enough we'll all see that."
