One of the most coveted athletes in the nation will be spending the next few years in the SEC. Donte Jackson, the No. 3-rated athlete in the country, announced his decision to head to Baton Rouge to play for the LSU Tigers in a Wednesday press conference.

Jackson is a consensus four-star recruit, with some recruiting services listing him as a five-star player. The New Orleans native is listed at 5-foot-11 and 165 pounds. While he played mostly at defensive back at Riverdale High School, Jackson is viewed as having the potential to be a weapon in offensive situations and in the return game.

One of the country’s most sought-after recruits, Jackson narrowed his choices down to LSU and Georgia for his announcement. He’d also considered Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Southern California, Oregon, Florida State and received offers from a host of top programs around the nation. He’s rated as the No. 3 athlete in the nation and the No. 56 player overall in 247sports’ industry composite rankings.

Jackson is a huge get for the Tigers and adds to a recruiting class that has made big gains in recent weeks. With the addition of Jackson, LSU’s recruiting class shoots up to No. 10 in 247sports’ class rankings, according to the site’s class calculator tool.

The Tigers are expected to use Jackson primarily as a cornerback, but there are reports that offensive coordinator Cam Cameron has told him he will find ways to use him on offense.

LSU used Jackson’s proximity to campus to their advantage, as Jackson took several unofficial visits to campus throughout the fall. He is scheduled to make an official visit to Baton Rouge this weekend. Georgia lagged behind, bringing Jackson in for a visit in August and not again until this past weekend. The Tigers also had the advantage of five-star receiver Tyron Jackson, who said after he announced his commitment to LSU that he was going to recruit Jackson to join him in Baton Rouge.

Despite losing two cornerbacks (Jalen Collins to the draft, Rashard Robinson being suspended/leaving the team), LSU should be just fine in the secondary. The Tigers have two other cornerbacks in this class, including five-star early enrollee Kevin Toliver. Jackson should have a chance to compete for playing time immediately.

Georgia was one of the first major programs to recruit Jackson, which gave the Bulldogs a leg up in the process and helped form a bond with Jackson. The Bulldogs made a last-minute push after Jackson’s visit, with coach Mark Richt paying Jackson an in-home visit on the eve of his announcement.

Check out Jackson’s highlight real, courtesy of hudl.com: