Dominic Jackson is smaller than some defensive tackles and bigger than most running backs, but that won’t prevent him from playing both positions for Crete-Monee this fall.
The 6-foot, 255-pound senior is embracing the opportunity.
“It’s really good,” he said before a recent practice. “I just know with those positions, I gotta keep my stamina up, gotta have a lot of endurance. And then also with that, I know I gotta go 110% every play.”
That part won’t be a problem, according to Warriors coach John Konecki.
“This year will be his third on the varsity,” Konecki said. “Just did a fantastic job for us. Great leader, works his butt off.”
Jackson came up through the youth ranks mainly as a two-way lineman, but he did get some time in the backfield as well.
And his future may be at fullback, where he owns an offer from NCAA Division II Bemidji State in Minnesota.
Jackson also may get some snaps at tailback this fall, making for a serious matchup problem for opposing defenses.
“He’s very active, he’s very nimble,” Konecki said. “He’s got great speed, he’s got good vision. …
“He’s probably more of an old-school fullback, built more like a (longtime NFL standout) Lorenzo Neal type.”
Jackson is a two-sport athlete who qualified for state in wrestling last winter in just his third competitive season.
“I did it my freshman year, but I didn’t take it too serious,” Jackson said. “Then sophomore year, that’s when I really took it serious.”
He was a conference runner-up that season before taking a big step forward as a junior. Jackson was 31-3 and won conference, regional and sectional titles before going 1-2 in the Class 2A state tournament.
He took up wrestling on the advice of his football coaches.
“They said that wrestling helps a lot with football … and I was like, I might as well try it,” Jackson said. “It will keep me active throughout the offseason … and wrestling is also fun, too.”
Plus, wrestling helps him perfect skills that also come into play on the football field.
“During wrestling, you gotta use a lot of hands and being a lineman, you do a lot of hand fighting, too,” Jackson said. “So that does help a lot.”
It all helps him develop as he hopes to continue playing at the next level. Besides Bemidji State, his other offers include Division II Roosevelt along with Lake Forest, Trine, St. Norbert and Rockford.
In the portal era, it’s been tougher for high school players to find spots on college rosters. But Jackson trusts in his process.
“I know who I am, I know how good I can be, how good I am at the moment,” he said. “And I know I still got some work in progress. But just because those transfers are coming in … that’s just more grit that I want to use just to take their spot.”