Well, at least for 60 meters -- and just a couple of months into the year -- he can make that claim.
Late last week, as relayed by the New Orleans Times-Picayune, LSU defensive back Donte’ Jackson ran a blistering 6.66-second 60-meter dash in what was called his first collegiate race, a time that was two-hundreths of a second out of first in the finals but still good for third place. While it wasn’t a winning effort, it is the fastest time posted by a college football player this year.PERSONAL BESTS! @WurldOfBlake clocks 6.65 for 2nd & @Donte3_ runs 6.66 for 3rd in the men’s 60m final! #LSU pic.twitter.com/XuU4zfH5Ru
— LSUTrackField (@LSUTrackField) February 19, 2016
Jackson ripped the unofficial 2016 title away from former Tiger running back and current Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajun Jeryl Brazil. From the Times-Picayune:
Brazil, a Loranger product now a junior at Louisiana-Lafayette, ran a 6.70-second 60-meter dash Jan. 22.
Oregon freshman Kirk Merritt, a Destrehan alumnus, ranked No. 9 on the list with a 6.78-second mark set Jan. 29.
One-time LSU target Adoree’ Jackson, a sophomore at USC, ran a 6.79-second 60-meter dash Jan. 22, good enough for 12th among football players thus far this season, and also a 21.35-second 200-meter dash that currently leads all football players on the track.Oregon has two football players in the Top 20 this year -- Merritt, a sophomore wide receiver, and redshirt sophomore wide receiver Tony Brooks-James (T-12th, 6.79) -- and another just outside of it -- redshirt junior wide receiver Devon Allen (T-23rd, 6.85). Other Power Five teams with football players in the track time Top 10 include North Carolina State (sophomore wide receiver Nyheim Hines, 5th, 6.74) and Ohio State (sophomore wide receiver James Clark, T-6th, 6.76).