Cavaliers Now

Four-Star Power Forward Marcus Jackson Includes Virginia in Top 8

Matt Newton

Four-star power forward Marcus Jackson included Virginia in his top eight schools.
Four-star power forward Marcus Jackson included Virginia in his top eight schools. / Griffin Greenberg/X
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Just two weeks after extending an offer to 2025 four-star recruit Marcus Jackson, Virginia made the top eight for the standout power forward who formerly played for John Marshall High School in Richmond. Jackson trimmed his list to eight schools on Friday and the Cavaliers made the cut along with Maryland, Auburn, Arizona State, Georgetown, Tennessee, New Mexico, and Iowa.

Though the Cavaliers only joined the fray of Jackson's recruitment on August 7th, there seems to be at least some interest as indicated by his including them in his top eight. How significant that interest actually is will be signaled by whether Virginia is able to get Jackson on Grounds for a visit. UVA is already set to host 2025 recruits Keyshuan Tillery, Chance Mallory, Nate Ament, JJ Mandaquit, and London Jemison over the next month.

A 6'9" power forward, Jackson began his high school career at Edmondson-Westside High School in Baltimore before transferring to John Marshall High School in Richmond last season. Jackson announced back in May that he's on the move again, transferring to AZ Compass Prep in Chandler, Arizona for his senior year of high school.

247Sports rates Jackson as a four-star prospect and the No. 107 overall recruit in the class of 2025 as well as the No. 21-ranked power forward in the country and the No. 4 player in the state of Arizona. Attention has only continued to ramp up for Jackson this summer as he helped lead Team Thrill to the UAA 17U Championship, averaging 15 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks per game in the UAA Finals.

Virginia, which has two open scholarships for the 2025-2026 season, is still in search of its first verbal commitment in the recruiting class of 2025, but has made the cut list for six four-star recruits in the 2025 class:
- PG Chance Mallory (Charlottesville, VA)
- SF Cam Ward (Washington, D.C.)
- PF London Jemison (West Hartford, CT)
- CG Derek Dixon (Washington, D.C.)
- PF Tre Singleton (Jeffersonville, IN)
- PG JJ Mandaquit (Hilo, HI)
- PF Marcus Jackson (Richmond, VA)

More Virginia Men's Basketball News & Content

Virginia Basketball: Four-Star PG Keyshuan Tillery Sets Official Visit to UVA

Virginia Basketball: Four-Star PG JJ Mandaquit Includes UVA in Cut List

Virginia Basketball Legend Joe Harris Announces Retirement

Virginia Basketball Roster Analysis: Balancing Youth vs. Experience

Virginia to Host Five-Star Top 10 Overall Recruit Nate Ament for Official Visit

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Matt Newton
MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.