In Year of Linemen, Jackson Stands Tall Alongside His Peers : Prep football: Knack for the big play has drawn colleges’ attention to the 6-foot-2, 290-pound Loara senior.

If this truly is the year of the linemen in Orange County--and it sure seems that way--it hasn’t taken long for Loara’s Bryant Jackson to move to his rightful place alongside the most heavily recruited local players. About all he had to do was step on the nearest football field, and heads turned.

Jackson, a senior who plays offensive guard and defensive tackle, is 6 feet 2, 290 pounds and runs the 40-yard dash in an astounding 5.1 seconds, faster than many of Loara’s running backs. He carries a 2.83 grade-point average and his SAT score is well above the required 700 the NCAA requires of incoming freshmen.

Loara Coach John deFries said Colorado, Oklahoma, Oregon, Oregon State, San Diego State and USC are courting Jackson.

Indeed, even among a senior class of exceptionally gifted linemen in the county, Jackson stands out. You only need to watch him play once and you can see he’s something special.

Against Hawthorne in last year’s Division III playoffs, Jackson leaped from his position on the defensive line and intercepted a pass. A Hawthorne player with 4.4-second 40-yard dash speed chased Jackson 35 yards before catching him.

Against Canyon this season, Jackson got his mitts up just in time to swat a pass into the air. In one smooth motion, he pulled the ball out of the sky and returned that remarkable interception 15 yards for a touchdown.

There are probably more examples of his big-play ability, but it’s difficult to pry them out of the soft-spoken Jackson. It’s not possible to call him unassuming, however. After all, anyone who stands 6-2, 290 is rather difficult to miss.

However . . .

“I’d rather not talk about myself,” said Jackson, while taking a break from practicing for tonight’s Division III playoff game against Orange. “I just try to do what I have to do to help the team.”

That seems to be Jackson’s approach to the game: Team first, individual second. And who’s big enough to argue with him?

Still, it was only with a reluctant sigh did he offer his 40 time. Asked what colleges were recruiting him, he would only say, “There’s a lot.” Asked which school he was especially interested in attending, he said, “Oh, there’s a lot of them right now.” He also said he took the SAT early in his senior year simply because “my coaches forced me into it.”

Jackson’s outstanding play has pushed him into the spotlight, but now that he’s there, he doesn’t appear comfortable. Only when he’s on the field creating mayhem does he swell with confidence. But it’s because he has done so well, that Jackson has become the focus of so much attention.

“I wish I had five players like him,” deFries said. “If you look at films of us, you know we’re going to run where he’s at.”

Few teams have been able to stop Loara’s balanced offense, however. And on defense, Jackson has often overwhelmed opposing linemen.

“I think he’s so big, and can move so quick,” deFries said. “He’s got a great upper body. His legs move that mass so quickly.”

In addition to his 5.1 speed, Jackson can jump high enough to dunk a volleyball, according to deFries.

Yes, it’s easy for Jackson athletically, but talking about it is more difficult.

“I like having some big hits, some sacks,” Jackson said. “Making a difference in the game, having something to do with the win.

“I’d like to say all the time that I try hard. After a game I don’t know if I actually made a difference, but I know I tried to.”

As a freshman, Jackson was a fullback, weighing in at 260, but moved to the line when former Coach Herb Hill asked him to. It meant a promotion to the varsity as a sophomore, so Jackson didn’t ask any questions.

Since then, he has always taken his responsibilities seriously, particularly on offense. He said he plays on the line, not because he enjoys the position, but because the team needs him there. And he plays offense and defense because it makes the team stronger.

“I always try to do my blocks the best that I can so the quarterback doesn’t get hurt,” he said. “If the quarterback gets hurt, I feel like I didn’t do my job.”

And if the quarterback or the running backs have a big game, how does he feel?

“That I’ve done something good,” he said, breaking into a smile. “They know we’re up there, and they thank us for making the holes.”

Almost anyone who watches Loara play knows Jackson is in the trenches dominating the action. He’s simply too hard to miss.