DON'T GIVE IT TO ME
8/12/2023 12:50:00 PM | Football
Arkansas transfer Jackson adds experience to Baylor's receivers room
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
In his two years at Arkansas, Ketron Jackson Jr. saw one transfer after another move to the front of the line.
When he got to Baylor in January, the former four-star recruit from Royse City, Texas, made it clear to receivers coach Dallas Baker that he didn't want that same kind of treatment.
"I told him that before I came in because I know how that is," said Jackson, who made eight starts for the Razorbacks last year, hauling in 16 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns. "I came from (Arkansas) bringing other dudes in and just automatically giving them spots. I told (Baker), I don't want that. I respect those guys; I'm not going to do that. I'm going to work for whatever I get."
Jackson, though, could emerge as a go-to receiver in a room that brings back its top two threats from a year ago in juniors Monaray Baldwin and Hal Presley. Baldwin had a team-leading 33 receptions for 565 yards (17.1-yard average) and four touchdowns, while Presley had 32 catches for 382 yards and four TDs.
After losing more-proven receivers like Tyquan Thornton and RJ Sneed, last season was "kind of difficult," Baldwin said, "but I feel like it helped us mature and mature fast."
"Last year, we really didn't have anybody with experience," he said. "I guess me and Hal had the most. But when you add guys like Ketron in the room, and then we've got guys who played the whole year, it really helps. Now, we can mature, we can grow and we can help the younger guys, we can help the people who have to step up and play this year."
Welcomed with open arms when he came in on a recruiting visit in December, Jackson has helped teach some of the younger receivers how to run better routes and "teach them little stuff that I do that will probably help them," but also got tips from the returners on "small stuff, new drills."
"Ketron has brought a lot," Presley said. "I feel like he brought a lot of confidence with him. Coming in, he didn't have a problem with confidence and stuff like that."
Along with Baldwin, Presley and redshirt freshman Armani Winfield, Jackson is one of the Bears' best deep threats.
"From the spring, from us working in the summer, I remember we just went out there and worked on nothing but deep balls, and it's translating to fall camp now," Jackson said. "And everybody is getting deep shots. Watch in practice, you're just looking (at them) over and over, like it's bombs away.
"(Quarterback Blake Shapen) threw a ball today to Jordan (Nabors), and I was like, 'Man, that's a pretty ball.'''
Expected to emerge as more of a go-to threat last year after scoring on a 48-yard reverse run in the 21-7 win over Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl, Baldwin came into this year wanting to be more consistent.
"The thing last year was like, you didn't know what version of me you were going to get coming out to practice," he said. "This year, I'm just trying to be consistent and be the same person every day."
Baldwin also added 5-10 pounds to become more physical, while Presley is beefed up to 205 after playing at 195 last season.
"I play bigger, and I can take hits," Presley said. "With a year under our belts, we just feel like we know the level we have to perform at. We're practicing to the best of our abilities and we're getting better every day. There are no steps back."
A former walk-on, sophomore Josh Cameron finished fourth on the team last season with 28 catches for 386 yards (13.1-yard average) and gives the Bears another experienced receiver. But the rest of the returners, including Winfield and sophomores Javon Gipson, Cameron Bonner and Josh Nabors, combined for just five catches.
"It helps us get better because everybody plays different," Baldwin said of a wide receiver group that also includes highly touted freshman Micah Gifford, converted quarterback Landry Kinne, redshirt junior Jonathan Davidson and sophomore Jonah Burton.
"People are balling from the oldest, JD (Davidson), down to Micah. And whenever you see people doing stuff, we can take aspects of other people's game and add it to ours. I feel like the diversity in the room is just helping everybody get better."
The Bears will wrap up their second week of fall camp with a Saturday evening workout at McLane Stadium before taking Sunday off. All practices are closed.
Baylor will open the 2023 season on Sept. 2, hosting Texas State at 6 p.m. at McLane Stadium. Season and single-game ticket options are available at Football 2023.
Baylor Bear Insider
In his two years at Arkansas, Ketron Jackson Jr. saw one transfer after another move to the front of the line.
When he got to Baylor in January, the former four-star recruit from Royse City, Texas, made it clear to receivers coach Dallas Baker that he didn't want that same kind of treatment.
"I told him that before I came in because I know how that is," said Jackson, who made eight starts for the Razorbacks last year, hauling in 16 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns. "I came from (Arkansas) bringing other dudes in and just automatically giving them spots. I told (Baker), I don't want that. I respect those guys; I'm not going to do that. I'm going to work for whatever I get."
Jackson, though, could emerge as a go-to receiver in a room that brings back its top two threats from a year ago in juniors Monaray Baldwin and Hal Presley. Baldwin had a team-leading 33 receptions for 565 yards (17.1-yard average) and four touchdowns, while Presley had 32 catches for 382 yards and four TDs.
After losing more-proven receivers like Tyquan Thornton and RJ Sneed, last season was "kind of difficult," Baldwin said, "but I feel like it helped us mature and mature fast."
"Last year, we really didn't have anybody with experience," he said. "I guess me and Hal had the most. But when you add guys like Ketron in the room, and then we've got guys who played the whole year, it really helps. Now, we can mature, we can grow and we can help the younger guys, we can help the people who have to step up and play this year."
Welcomed with open arms when he came in on a recruiting visit in December, Jackson has helped teach some of the younger receivers how to run better routes and "teach them little stuff that I do that will probably help them," but also got tips from the returners on "small stuff, new drills."
"Ketron has brought a lot," Presley said. "I feel like he brought a lot of confidence with him. Coming in, he didn't have a problem with confidence and stuff like that."
Along with Baldwin, Presley and redshirt freshman Armani Winfield, Jackson is one of the Bears' best deep threats.
"From the spring, from us working in the summer, I remember we just went out there and worked on nothing but deep balls, and it's translating to fall camp now," Jackson said. "And everybody is getting deep shots. Watch in practice, you're just looking (at them) over and over, like it's bombs away.
"(Quarterback Blake Shapen) threw a ball today to Jordan (Nabors), and I was like, 'Man, that's a pretty ball.'''
Expected to emerge as more of a go-to threat last year after scoring on a 48-yard reverse run in the 21-7 win over Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl, Baldwin came into this year wanting to be more consistent.
"The thing last year was like, you didn't know what version of me you were going to get coming out to practice," he said. "This year, I'm just trying to be consistent and be the same person every day."
Baldwin also added 5-10 pounds to become more physical, while Presley is beefed up to 205 after playing at 195 last season.
"I play bigger, and I can take hits," Presley said. "With a year under our belts, we just feel like we know the level we have to perform at. We're practicing to the best of our abilities and we're getting better every day. There are no steps back."
A former walk-on, sophomore Josh Cameron finished fourth on the team last season with 28 catches for 386 yards (13.1-yard average) and gives the Bears another experienced receiver. But the rest of the returners, including Winfield and sophomores Javon Gipson, Cameron Bonner and Josh Nabors, combined for just five catches.
"It helps us get better because everybody plays different," Baldwin said of a wide receiver group that also includes highly touted freshman Micah Gifford, converted quarterback Landry Kinne, redshirt junior Jonathan Davidson and sophomore Jonah Burton.
"People are balling from the oldest, JD (Davidson), down to Micah. And whenever you see people doing stuff, we can take aspects of other people's game and add it to ours. I feel like the diversity in the room is just helping everybody get better."
The Bears will wrap up their second week of fall camp with a Saturday evening workout at McLane Stadium before taking Sunday off. All practices are closed.
Baylor will open the 2023 season on Sept. 2, hosting Texas State at 6 p.m. at McLane Stadium. Season and single-game ticket options are available at Football 2023.
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