TE Jackson Ford thinks Oregon is ‘building something special’ and ready to return

MELISSA, Texas — Jackson Ford fell in love with Oregon more each time he made his way out to the Pacific Northwest.

Ford, a 6-foot-6, 235-pound hybrid tight end and defensive lineman out of Dallas Metroplex power Melissa (Texas) High School, committed to the Ducks during his most recent unofficial visit in April.

After the spring, in which multiple coaches from Eugene made their way to check on Ford at the high school, Ford is even more bullish about his future as a Duck.

“It’s been great,” Ford told On3. “I can’t wait to get that Texas pipeline going. I’m excited to get back up there this summer and keep building my relationship with the coaches.”

“I’m a West Coast kid,” Ford, who originally hails from California, continued on. “When I was there, it felt like home. It’s a little bit different weather. It’s not as sunny, but it’s great over there — great vibes, it’s super nice and from a college student’s perspective and also a players’ perspective, it’s great.”

Ford plays on both sides of the ball for Melissa High School but is getting recruited as a tight end by Oregon’s Drew Mehringer. Mehringer, a native of Mansfield, Texas, has built a strong connection with Ford and his family very quickly.

“He’s one of those down-to-earth guys who really knows what they’re doing,” Ford said. “He’s had some great experience at different colleges and he’s put a lot of people into the league. Down there, it’s a really good family environment and I’ve had some great experiences there already with the coaches and the players.”

“They’re building something special,” he added.

Ford already has his next visit to Eugene locked in for June 16-18. It’ll be an official visit for Ford, who is also planning another visit back to Oregon during the season to continue to further his relationships and become even more familiar with the scenery up there.

“I’ve got a lot of family out there and it’s nice to have them be able to commute to games, and I’m just super excited about it all,” Ford said. “I’ll be up there in June with Luke Moga, our QB, and I’ve got to get to know the future QB better. I also want to get back during the season and go for the game-day experience.”

“We’re trying to get a few more (recruits) on,” he added. “There’s a lot of kids we’re looking at and I know that they want to be there; they’re just waiting to pull the trigger. It’s just a matter of time before we get that going.”

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