A torn ACL caused wide receiver Jackson Meeks to miss most of his junior season. It seems to have kept him from garnering the kind of recruiting attention he probably deserved.
However, it didn't hinder Meeks from becoming a focus of the Georgia Bulldogs, who signed him back in December.
With good health on his side, Meeks parlayed his senior season into a breakout campaign. He became a huge threat in both the intermediate and deep passing game.
Meeks is also a very physical receiver. He doesn't mind physical contact, a trait that will no doubt play to his favor with head coach Kirby Smart.
For more on Meeks:
Jackson Meeks
High School: Central (Phenix City, Ala.)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 205
Rating: Three star-receiver, according to Rivals.com
High School Career
It didn't take Meeks long to say yes to Georgia. He committed to the Bulldogs just two weeks after he received his initial offer.
It's easy to see why he opened eyes in Athens.
In a game against perennial power Hoover, Meeks caught 13 passes for an incredible 233 yards, immediately putting him on the radar for Georgia receivers coach Cortez Hankton.
Despite his only other FBS offers coming from Ole Miss and West Virginia, the Bulldogs are confident the flashes he showed as a senior are indications that Meeks is well on the way to reaching his potential.
What's Next
Thanks to a receiver-heavy class the season before, the Bulldogs only added two wideouts to their Class of 2021. This also speaks to the coaches' level of confidence when it comes to Meeks becoming an asset to the team.
As deep as Georgia’s wide receiver corps appears to be, Meeks will not be under any pressure to produce right out of the gate. Even so, he's an early enrollee, expanding his opportunity to go ahead and start learning the system. That should bode well for his future.
The term “late-bloomer” has been used to describe players like Meeks. It certainly happens when a player misses much of his junior year and all the camps. Without that handicap, who knows how many schools would have offered.
But his under-the-radar status suited the Bulldogs, who were happy to sign Meeks and believe he can become a future contributor as part of the rotation.