Ennis’ Gilkey named top-10 QB recruit in Texas ahead of senior campaign

By Travis M. Smith | KBEC Sports

The Ennis Lions will soon embark on the 2022 football season with one of the most prolific and highly regarded signal-callers to call Texas home.

Dave Campbell’s Texas Football recently released its top-10 quarterback list for the senior Class of 2023, and Ennis’ Jackson Gilkey landed at No. 9. The storied publication has also given him a three-star ranking. 

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Gilkey currently holds offers from Tarleton State, Arkansas State, Houston and the University of Incarnate Word. 

Gilkey took over behind center for the Lions in 2021 following the departure of current-Georgia Bulldog quarterback Collin Drake. And the offense didn’t miss a beat.

Gilkey threw completed 153-of-his-228 attempts (67.1%) for 2,490 yards and 23 touchdowns to just four interceptions. 

The Lion offense averaged 44.7 points per game, while their stingy defense held opponents to 21.2 per — leaving Drake and the rest of the Ennis starters on the sidelines for most of the second halves. Ennis finished the season state-ranked with an 11-1 record. Gilkey was named the MVP of District 8-5A for his efforts.

Gilkey will need to repeat his junior-year performance and then some this season, as the Lions are headed into a talent-heavy eight-team District 5-5A Division II.

Legendary head coach Sam Harrell will test his Lions early with an away game against 6A Waxahachie to kickoff the season Aug. 26. The Pride will return to Lion Memorial for a pair of non-district home contests against Midlothian and Colleyville Heritage. All three opposing teams are projected playoff teams. 

Ennis will then shift into district play, which features Corsicana, Everman, Joshua, Midlothian Heritage, Arlington Seguin, Burleson and Mansfield Summit.  

The complete DCTF QB Top-10 for the Class of 2023 includes:

• No. 1 – Jackson Arnold, Denton Guyer (verbal to OU)

• No. 2 – Austin Novosad, Dripping Springs (verbal to Baylor)

• No. 3 – Jake Strong, Justin Northwest (verbal to Texas Tech)

• No. 4 – Bo Edmundson, Lake Travis (verbal to Michigan State)

• No. 5 – Mason Shorb, Leander Rouse (verbal to UTSA)

• No. 6 – Brennan Storer, Highland Park

• No. 7 – Jacboe Robinson, Henderson (verbal to Boston College)

• No. 8 – Weston Smith, Colleyville Heritage

• No 9 – Jackson Gilkey, Ennis

• No 10 – Kaden Anderson, Carroll

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Travis M. Smith, @Travis5mith

tsmith@kbec.com