Giles Jackson facts for kids
| No. 42 – Philadelphia Eagles | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Wide receiver |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | December 11, 2001 Antioch, California, U.S. |
| Height: | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Weight: | 187 lb (85 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Freedom (CA) |
| College: | Michigan (2019–2020) Washington (2021–2024) |
| Undrafted: | 2025 |
| Career history | |
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| Roster status: | Active |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Giles Jackson (born December 11, 2001) is a talented American professional football player. He plays as a wide receiver and kick returner for the Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the pros, he played college football for both the Michigan Wolverines and the Washington Huskies.
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Giles Jackson's Early Life and High School Football
Giles Jackson grew up in Antioch, California. He went to Freedom High School. During his junior year in 2017, he was amazing on the field. He ran for over 1,500 yards and scored 22 touchdowns. He also caught 21 passes for more than 300 yards and five touchdowns.
In September 2018, he decided to play college football for the University of Michigan. His senior year was even better! He caught 63 passes for over 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also ran the ball and even returned a punt for a 65-yard touchdown.
Giles Jackson's College Football Journey
Giles Jackson played college football for two different teams: the Michigan Wolverines and the Washington Huskies.
Playing for the Michigan Wolverines
Freshman Year at Michigan (2019)
When Giles was just 17, he started playing for Michigan. He played as a wide receiver and also returned kicks. He played in all 13 games that season. Giles made history by becoming only the second freshman at Michigan to score touchdowns in three different ways: on a kick return, by catching a pass, and by running the ball.
In a big game called the 2020 Citrus Bowl against Alabama, he caught four passes for 57 yards. One of his catches was a huge 40-yard play!
Giles was also a star on special teams. He returned 24 kickoffs for a total of 622 yards. This included an amazing 97-yard touchdown return right at the start of a game against Maryland. His coach, Jim Harbaugh, said everyone loved watching Giles play because he was "crazy fast" and "super talented."
Sophomore Year at Michigan (2020)
In 2019, Giles wore jersey number 15. But in 2020, the NCAA allowed players to wear jersey number 0. Giles asked for it and became the very first Michigan football player to wear number 0!
Many of Michigan's top receivers left the team, so Giles was expected to play an even bigger role. On November 21, 2020, in a thrilling triple-overtime game against Rutgers, Giles returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a 94-yard touchdown! He also helped his team win by drawing a penalty that set up the game-winning touchdown.
By the end of the season, Giles had 15 catches for 167 yards. He also returned 18 kickoffs for 399 yards and one touchdown. On March 29, 2021, Giles decided to transfer from Michigan to another college.
Playing for the Washington Huskies (2021-2024)
After leaving Michigan, Giles joined the Washington Huskies. He continued to be a key player for them.
In 2021, he played in 12 games, catching 8 passes and returning 19 kickoffs. In 2022, he played in all 13 games, catching 28 passes and scoring a touchdown. He also returned 15 kickoffs.
His final two seasons with the Huskies, 2023 and 2024, saw him continue to contribute. In 2024, his last year, he had his best receiving season, catching 85 passes for 893 yards and 7 touchdowns. He also scored another rushing touchdown.
Giles Jackson's Professional Football Career
After his college career, Giles Jackson was not chosen by a team in the NFL Draft. However, he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent on May 4, 2025. This means the Eagles gave him a chance to join their team even though he wasn't drafted. He is now playing for them as a professional football player.
