The State of Texas’ top 2025 offensive guard isn’t sure where he’ll be playing his college ball yet. But Jackson Christian does know that wherever he goes must have an elite mechanical engineering program.

“My dad is an electrical engineer,” Christian said. “I've always been good with my hands. I've always been good at math and chemistry and everything like that. So I looked into mechanical engineering. So I thought I'll be pretty good at it.” 

Preparing for such a challenging major on top of playing college football is something that he is prepared for. Having won a state championship and played in two for Port Neches-Groves, the 6-foot-5, 310-pound four-star knows what kind of dedication and time management is needed to succeed in the classroom and on the football field at the same time. 

“It's just mostly about being disciplined with your time,” Christian said. 

Discipline is also what led Christian and his teammates to the 2023 5A Division II State Championship in a thrilling 20-17 victory over South Oak Cliff, revenging a loss in that same game from 2022.

“(In 2022) we quit on ourselves,” Christian said. “One thing bad happened in the first quarter and we just quit. I was one of the captains (in 2023), so I told myself that this is gonna be different. We're gonna win this thing this year.” 

Now, Christian hopes his team can not only make it back to the state championship game for the third straight year, but also win back-to-back titles. 

The team is bought in to head coach Jeff Joseph and has a tighter bond than ever.

The precedent that Joseph has set gave Christian and his teammates everything they need to be successful in high school football and beyond. 

“We're not just showing up for the practices, but we will be the toughest and we will outwork you,” Christian said. “That's what really set us apart, going from never winning first round to going to state back-to-back with a new coach.”

Joseph’s impact on the team was not the only factor in motivating his team to a state championship. The team’s bond with each other was one of respect and motivation for the other players on the field. 

After winning the title, the team has a closer bond than ever and Christian believes that they have what it takes to go back-to-back. 

“I'm excited to play with all my friends again,” Christian said. “Everybody's coming back since everybody's a senior and I'm really excited for that. I think we have something special going on at PNG. You know, we’re just a little school in southeast Texas that won a state championship. If everybody buys in, I believe we can do it again, and I'm just very excited to see where we go this year.”

Christian is also excited about what’s next on the recruiting trail. He has a plethora of offers to choose from, including Houston, North Texas, SMU, Texas A&M, Texas, Texas State, Texas Tech and UTSA.

Christian is ready to take all of the upcoming challenges head-on, including finding that perfect fit for his mechanical engineering dreams.

“I’ve talked to a lot of people about mechanical engineering and everything like that,” Christian said. “They said it's hard but that's people's opinion. I like a little challenge.”