The second-ranked 2020 player in Ohio is headed out of state.
Four-star guard Zeb Jackson announced his commitment to Michigan on Instagram Tuesday night. The Maumee Valley Country Day junior picked the Wolverines over a final seven that included Ohio State, Purdue, Michigan State, Arizona State, Marquette and Butler.
COITTED... pic.twitter.com/9uTdZEKqio
— Zeb Jackson (@iamzebjackson1) October 23, 2018
A 6-foot-2, 160-pound guard, Jackson is the No. 66 overall prospect in his class and the 18th-ranked shooting guard. He is the No. 2 player from Ohio.
Jackson, who was the first 2020 player John Beilein’s staff offered, became the first commitment in the Wolverines’ recruiting class.
The Buckeyes have the top-ranked 2019 class in the Big Ten, featuring five-star guard D.J. Carton, four-star forward Alonzo Gaffney and four-star forward E.J. Liddell. But they do not have a commitment in the 2020 class.
Ohio State has offered three in-state prospects in the 2020 class, including Jackson. Neither of the other players – four-star center Zach Loveday from Gallipolis and three-star guard Dominiq Penn from Dublin – have committed to schools, and the Buckeyes remain a viable option for both of them.
In Jackson, Michigan will get a hard worker who spends hours upon hours working on his craft, Maumee Valley Country Day coach Rob Conover told Eleven Warriors two weeks ago.
“He's pro-like when he works out,” Conover said. “He know exactly the shots he get and how to work at those shots, how to expand his game just in a variety of ways. So, that's how he approaches workouts. That's special. You just don't see that very often.”
Jackson possesses an “edge” that separates him from other good players, Conover said.
“He scores, but he's got a great feel feel for the game,” Conover said. “He just understands the game. He understands the flow of the game. I trust him a lot making reads, making decisions.”
