'Six Pack of Bear': 1st 2018 commit ready to put in work

Southlake Carroll High School's Jackson Kimble was the first commitment of Baylor's 2018 class, and he takes pride in that. The versatile offensive lineman has put it on himself to be a recruiting leader, as well as a big-time playmaker once he arrives on campus.

With Baylor's spring game on Saturday, Kimble said he will be there wearing several different hats. For starters, he, as a recruit, will be eyeing the Bears' offensive line play and keying in on every move head coach Matt Rhule and offensive line coach George DeLeone make. As a commit, Kimble will be in attendance as a player-recruiter, looking to build the class, which currently stands at five pledges.

In this week's "Six Pack of Bear," Kimble discusses Baylor and his personal expectations for the future -- which includes a lot of winning, as he is used to.

YOU PLAY FOR A HIGH SCHOOL THAT HAS A SUPER RICH TRADITION OF WINNING. HOW HAS CARROLL PREPARED YOU FOR NEXT-LEVEL COMPETITION?
"Playing at Southlake Carroll is like playing for a junior college program. The coaches are, in my opinion, the best coaches in the nation at the high school level. At Southlake, during the season and in spring ball, we are focused on football and focused on winning off the field. The coaches know how to put the kids in college. We have awesome recruiting coordinator [Zac Bryant], and all of the coaches teach us how to be men and how to excel at the Division 1 level."

YOU WERE OFFERED ON FEB. 10 AND COMMITTED EIGHT DAYS LATER. WHAT WAS IT ABOUT BAYLOR THAT WON YOU OVER?
"I've been waiting 11 years to say those words, 'I'm committed to Baylor.' In my commitment post, you see me as a 6-year-old holding a Baylor pillow case, which i still have in my room. Baylor's always been a dream school of mine. It's close to home, but not too close, and the coaches are awesome. A lot of my dad's friends are Baylor people, and I see how successful they are and how other successful Baylor people around them are. They inspire me. Plus, Baylor is just a great football program."

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS OF WHAT COACH MATT RHULE AND THE STAFF ARE DOING NOW?
"I love Matt Rhule, because in practice he's what you want in a coach. He's a hard-ass and doesn't want anything that's not championship standard. The way he coaches is great. He has very high intensity. He's all about being the top team and winning a Big 12 championship starting right now. But then, when you see him step off the field, and when practice is over, he's the most genuine, nicest coach and person you've ever met."

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE YET TO SEE YOUR TAPE, HOW WOULD DESCRIBE YOUR GAME?
"I think I am an athletic lineman in that I can play all five positions at the college level. I think I'm athletic enough to play wherever and learn any position. I play tackle, but I can build the strength and size to play guard. I'm smart enough and have good football IQ to play center. I think I play with high intensity, and I like putting people on the ground."



AS A COMMIT, WHAT ARE YOU TELLING TARGETS AND POTENTIAL TEAMMATES ABOUT THE PROGRAM?
"I talked to [tight ends] Coach [Joey] McGuire, and he wants me to help recruit this class being the first commit. At the end of the day, it's a 40-year decision. Playing in the league [NFL] is very rare. I tell [recruits] it's the best 40-year decision you can possibly make. I'll give an example of my dad's friends. They all got a great education. I also try to sell the coaches to them. You're around those coaches more than your family."

YOU WILL BE AT BAYLOR'S SPRING GAME. AS A COMMIT, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR WHEN THE GAME STARTS?
"I just want to see how they play. With a new staff and new players, we know it's not going to be the same as the past. You will see some different stuff. I just want to see the intensity that they play with and how they're doing things on a high level -- the things that I know they do every day."