Naperville's Jackson Kerstin to ‘stay grounded' at South Dakota State as work resumes after teammate's death

Chicago Tribune

6 days ago

Jackson Kerstin is handling his college football career the old-fashioned way.
There have been no rides through the transfer portal, and chasing riches in the new era of name, image and likeness is not on the 2023 Naperville North graduate's agenda.
Instead, the 6-foot-4, 285-pound Kerstin has embraced the challenge of climbing the depth chart as an offensive lineman at perennial Division I Football Championship Subdivision power South Dakota State.
'It's been nothing but a good time, and I'm just learning as I go,' he said. 'I'm not disappointed in how things have gone. There's endless support from my teammates. I'm just really excited for the season, and I'm trying to compete as hard as I can to get reps.'
Watching, learning and working, Kerstin hopes to become a starter for a team with high expectations and a deep well of talent to meet them. The Jackrabbits have won a combined 51 games in the past four seasons, including back-to-back FCS national championships in 2022-23 with former Neuqua Valley star Mark Gronowski at quarterback.
Five South Dakota State players were drafted by NFL teams from 2022 to 2024, and three of Kerstin's 2024 teammates signed NFL contracts in the spring. One of those players, Pittsburgh Steelers starting guard Mason McCormick, provided a good example for Kerstin to follow.
'It was valuable to see how seriously he took everything, and he was just as much of a coach as a teammate,' Kerstin said. 'His work ethic was apparent in how he attacked things. With all of those guys, you could tell they were different.'
Kerstin, who wants to be part of that exclusive club, is taking reps at both guard and tackle during the preseason. He was a tackle in his three varsity seasons at Naperville North, but he has spent the most time at guard at South Dakota State.
Versatility can only benefit Kerstin as he attempts to make a favorable impression on a staff that includes new head coach Dan Jackson and new offensive line coach Mike Bangtson.
'A lot of guys who had more time at tackle left, and things play faster out there,' Kerstin said. 'Because of the speed, pass protection is easier at guard. My goal is to play there, but I'll get work wherever I'm asked to.'
Kerstin's athleticism is one reason he's able to flip between those two positions. It flashed enough for Naperville North coach Sean Drendel to elevate Kerstin to the varsity team when he was a sophomore and saw it in the multiple ways that Kerstin helped the offense maximize its efficiency.
'By the time he was a senior, he was pretty dominant as a masher,' Drendel said. 'But he was very athletic, too, and that allowed him to do a lot of things well, whether it was on screens, down-blocking or our outside zone game. He has a great desire and intensity when he plays the game.'
A lot of Kerstin's desire has been pooled toward improving all parts of his game, not least of which is his physique. He has gained more than 40 pounds of muscle in college.
'If he continues to grow and works like I know he will, I could see him being a special player for them and even getting a chance at the next level,' Drendel said.
A tight bond among teammates makes Kerstin's wall-to-wall work easier. He and several others traveled to Alaska earlier this summer to see where linebacker Jack Nash grew up. They also faced a difficult test after running back Nate White died June 25.
'That's been really tough because he was one of my good friends,' Kerstin said. 'I remember praying afterward that if something that bad can happen, then something good has to come of it. So far, the guys have been working hard to fight for the brother we lost. We play for him every day.'
South Dakota State is a consensus top-five pick in preseason polls, which has become commonplace.
'It's a little different here than everywhere else,' Kerstin said. 'The culture is incredible, and the standard is the standard. I'd obviously love to be starting every game, but there's still a lot I need to work on to do that effectively.
'At the end of the day, I try to stay grounded in the present and not think about the future.'