One local high school prospect is attempting to make the most of his final high school season.
In-state prospect Jackson Ownbey (Daniel) didn’t even play football as a junior, choosing to focus on baseball. The two-sport standout was an offensive lineman during his first two high school seasons, but he just wasn’t passionate enough about playing that position. So, he made a decision to focus solely on baseball.
It was a decision that was surely paying off, with schools like Clemson, College of Charleston and Wofford showing some early interest. Ownbey even got a call from a member of the Clemson staff.
However, the more time that passed, the more he realized he missed the gridiron, and he started contemplating a return to the football field. He even attended some college camps last summer, including stops at Clemson, Virginia, South Carolina, Samford and Coastal Carolina.
He performed really well at those camps, and due to his workout at Clemson, he picked up an offer from Averett University, setting the stage for his return this season. However, now he is playing defensive end, and that is a position that he is overly passionate about. In fact, he’s been so good that his coach at Daniel, Jeff Stone, even created a package for him at tight end.
“I have been playing since I was six years old,” Ownbey told The Clemson Insider. “I started off at offensive line my freshman and sophomore years and I wasn’t really, like, loving it. And going into my junior year of baseball, things were really starting to pop up. I was doing really well in baseball. So, I was like, if I am not enjoying what position I am playing in football, maybe I should just stick to playing baseball. As time went by, I was still getting interest with football, even though I am not playing —like coaches are coming to my school, so I just felt like I was leaving a lot on the table.
“After talking with my family and stuff, I just felt like I needed to give football another chance. Just at another position and just showing what I have got out there. Ended up talking with the head coach and started playing defensive end. They have also implemented a little tight end package for me. But what got me back into it was I did not want to live in regret about what if. I felt like I needed to come back and give it one more shot.”
And Stone is certainly happy that Ownbey decided to give football another shot. The senior has totaled 37 tackles in eight games, with 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one forced fumble and a pass defended.
“He is a really good athlete who could play several positions honestly,” the Daniel head coach said. “He is really motivated. He is driven because he wants to help us win a state championship. He is driven because he wants to see where football could potentially take him. So, he has been very receptive to coaching. He is one of those guys I don’t hear a lot when we are out there practicing — I just see him. I just see him working. Every single game he kind of unlocks a new level. I feel like his ceiling is really high right now because he is still raw at that position, but he is playing it really well, too.”
His productive senior season is generating some interest from colleges. He visited Furman and Virginia early in the season, before making a stop at Clemson for the Tigers’ shutout win over Charleston Southern.
“The visit was so nice. I love how involved everyone is on the staff. Even if they don’t know you,” Ownbey said. “I loved the way they talk to you and stuff. I think that was my favorite part. Just feeling like I belonged there. I loved the atmosphere. They didn’t just talk about football, but they talked about life after football and PAW Journey. I loved the atmosphere and the environment. I have grown up around Clemson my whole life. I would call it the best there is.”
In this era, trying to play two sports at the college level has never been more difficult. While that certainly is the goal, Ownbey knows at some point he will likely have to choose one or the other. And as a lifelong Clemson fan, the dream has always been to suit up and play for the Tigers.
“I would love to play both,” he said. “If I had to pick one, I would play Clemson football. Just the environment and the fans. Just everything about the stadium. It is something you can not get anywhere else.”
However, his love for the school goes deeper than his fandom. Ownbey has tremendous respect for Dabo Swinney and how he chooses to run his program, and one day he’s hoping to be a part of it.
“It is just good people,” Ownbey said. “I really like how they focus on life after football, because football is not always going to be there for you. Not everyone goes pro. Especially after this visit, and seeing PAW Journey and how they take players around the world. I think that stands out the most. And I like the attitudes of everyone. Everyone treats each other as equals.”
