Born Entertainer
November 18, 2016 | Football
By Katie Ryan, USC Assistant Sports Information Director -
Los Angeles is known as the entertainment capital of the world. It is home to many iconic movie, television and music companies. Its world famous amusement parks and other tourist attractions draw millions of visitors to the sun-drenched area each year. The legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame and Rodeo Drive are filled each day with people hoping for a glimpse of one of their favorite celebrities. This is where people come to pursue their dreams.
Only a short drive from these famous destinations is the University of Southern California. Known as one of the preeminent universities in America, it draws students from approximately 115 countries. Likewise USC is known as a football powerhouse that has won 11 National Championships, while producing six Heisman Trophy winners. Almost 500 NFL players have come out of Troy, with 12 of them permanently ensconced in the NFL Hall of Fame. As a result, it is no surprise that USC is the prime destination for young men pursuing their own athletic dreams.
One of those student-athletes chasing his own dreams at USC is Adoree' Jackson. Jackson has many accomplishments on the gridiron. He is considered by many to be the best cornerback to ever don a Trojan uniform. Jackson's game drips with flash and swag, and his goal remains simple: to entertain.
Throughout his time at Troy, Jackson has decorated his stats sheet. He has recorded 163 tackles, seven interceptions with one returned for a touchdown, 37 receptions for 552 yards and five touchdowns and 11 carries for 61 yards. He has tallied 69 kickoff returns with three touchdowns, and 41 punt returns for 483 yards with three touchdowns. He has scored a touchdown via pass reception, interception, punt return and kickoff return. Nine days ago against California, he surpassed Curtis Conway for first place on USC's career kickoff return list with 1,838 yards.
Jackson appeared athletically gifted from a young age.
"My mom would always tell me the first time she saw me jump clear over the bed when I was three that she knew right then," Jackson said.
Jackson grew up in East St. Louis, Ill., a city with a well-earned reputation for violent crime, about 10 times the national average.
But that's not the experience Jackson had. For him, it was good and safe home that remains full of fond memories.
"When people hear where I'm from they probably think it was the worst city ever or that people don't come out of there," he said. "But, I had a great experience. It's home to me. People say that it's one of the most dangerous cities in America, but when I think of my city, I just think about all the memories of me hanging out and playing sports around the yard with my friends."
With his natural athleticism, Jackson played many different sports.
"I started off playing basketball when I was three," said Jackson. "I then played baseball. I saw Mark McGwire play so I wanted to play. Then I started playing soccer for about four years. That was my thing. I thought I was awesome, but then I got into football in the sixth grade, and I liked football a little bit more than soccer. I stopped playing. I was always in sports and always doing something to be active. It really helped to keep me out of trouble."
Before his sophomore year of high school in 2011, Jackson moved to Los Angeles to live with his sister and attend Serra High School in Gardena, Calif.
"It was different coming from the city I'm from," he said. "There's really not much out there. People would categorize where I moved to in L.A. as the hood. If you take a city in L.A. and compare it to where I grew up, it's totally different. People say this is the hood, but I would tell them that this is the nicest hood I've ever seen in my life."
Serra is a hotbed for football talent, and many Serra football players have made their way to Troy. Marqise Lee, Robert Woods and George Farmer are just a few of the greats who have moved to the NFL from USC after prepping at Serra. Attending Serra brings added pressure for those young athletes to continue to live up to the standard of greatness of their predecessors.
"There's a lot of talent that comes out of Serra," Jackson said. "It creates a lot of motivation. You didn't want to go to college and not live up to the past. When you watch your friends and former teammates all doing something spectacular, you want to live up to that hype."
Jackson did just that. After establishing himself as one of the best prep football players in the nation, he received offers from almost every major college program. Jackson had many incredible options, but he knew USC was the best choice for him and his future.
"I chose USC because I felt like it fit my personality and who I was," he said. "I wanted to succeed both on and off the field, and USC was the best place to do that. The networking here is incomparable, and being in this large media market is a great opportunity for us as student-athletes."
Although Jackson plays primarily on the defensive side of the ball, he is still one of the most exciting players to watch on the field. His dynamic athleticism is electric, and he brings the Coliseum to life when he steps on the field.
"I like playing corner because the crowd is always loud when we are on defense," said Jackson. "They are trying to distract the offense, and they get even louder when you make a play or a stop. On defense, you don't really get to make a lot of plays. I like it because I know that I can be one of those people that when I get the opportunity to make a play, I can make a play that people will remember. The players on offense get the ball all the time. As a defensive back, you're not getting that many opportunities. You may get targeted two or three times, so you have to decide what you're going to do with those three times that you're targeted."
Jackson grew up admiring certain players, and sees pieces of them in the way he plays.
"I like to take aspects from the games of (NFL stars) Tyrann Mathieu, Patrick Peterson, Darrelle Revis and try to put it in my game," he said. "On the offensive side of the ball, Chad Johnson was one of my favorite players growing up. I loved his flashiness. He was a baller, and he had a little swag to him. He would showboat a little bit. I just thought he had too much fun. They were pretty much like entertainers. That's what I want to do. I just want to be on the field, put smiles on people's faces and entertain them."
And entertain them he does. From his wild flips into the end zone to his thrilling one-toe catches, he never ceases to provide an exciting performance. Jackson's desire to make other people happy genuinely reflects the corner's personality.
While he shows off his flashy side on the field, Jackson is very much a quiet, mild-mannered young man. Respectful beyond measure, it's common to see him be the first to go over to an injured opponent to say some kind words and show good sportsmanship.
Off the field, Jackson prefers to lay low and rarely watches sports.
"I watch the Food Network, and I cook a lot," he said. "People don't expect that. Whatever I see on the Food Network I want to try to make. I watch a lot of reality shows like The Bachelor. I don't watch sports that much unless I want to watch my Rams play.
"I don't hold it against them that they left St. Louis. They're still my team," he said, adding with a laugh. "I just won't call them the L.A Rams."
Being a big name football player in Los Angeles can be overwhelming. Jackson prides himself on the fact he is able to stay grounded and focused amidst it all.
"My parents taught me to stay on the right path," Jackson said. "I always went to church every Sunday. My mom is a lady of faith and my dad is as well. They always remind me to be humble. My mom is always telling me to stay humble because God gave you this ability and he can take it away in the blink of an eye."
Jackson's mother is the ultimate example of faith for her son. She was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and was unable to attend any of her son's games in the 2015 season. She was able to beat the disease and had the opportunity to watch Jackson light up the Coliseum in 2016.
"God, he saved me in four months," she said in an outburst of emotion during a live post-game interview with Jackson earlier this year. "He gave me back to my baby, so I can see every game and I can be the proudest momma."
Jackson's faith is an important part of every game he is a part of.
"My faith keeps me focused for games too. I read the Bible for my pregame ritual. I read Psalm 23 three times before I go out on the field."
Since Jackson is held in such high esteem by his teammates, they voted him a team captain for the 2016 season.
"Actually I was shocked that they voted me captain," he said. "I was excited, but I was shocked at the same time. I think it's because I show leadership though my actions. I don't really tell people what to do; I just go out there and display it. My focus is making sure my team is happy and positive. If they see me down, then they will get down."
Jackson is a communication major, but, like many teammates, is also studying real estate and is pursuing a real estate finance minor, in part to give back to his hometown.
"I want to give back to where I came from and feel this is a way I can do it," he said.
Even though he's a humble person, Jackson still hears his own hype. When people describe him as one of the best players in college football, it creates a fire within him to prove more.
"I always heard people say you have the potential to be one of the best corners to play the game," said Jackson. "I'm appreciative that they think so highly of me. I know that I have so much more to give and so much more to prove because I never have had just a full off-season of football and just working on my craft. I'm thankful, but I have to keep working to be even better than they ever thought I could be."
It is true Jackson has never had an off-season to completely dedicate to football. In the spring, he dedicates his time to being a long jumper and sprinter on USC's track team where his natural athleticism shines. He claimed the 2015 and 2016 Pac-12 outdoor long jump titles and placed second in the Pac-12 100 meters in 2016. Both years, he was named an All-American after twice placing fifth in the NCAA long jump competition.
Jackson competed at the 2016 Olympic trials where he finished 10th, just seven spots shy of securing a trip to Rio. He has also expressed interest in competing in the 2017 World Championships.
Jackson's desire to continue to improve is insatiable. However, at the end of the day, all he wants to do is put a smile people's faces.
"I feel like laughing and smiling is healing in my opinion. So if you see me playing on TV or if I can make you smile or do something to brighten up your day, then I'm doing something right," Jackson said with his million-dollar smile. "That's what I love about playing football."
