Lead Story: Jackson's Historic Season Cashes In
The 2026 MLB Draft turned into an SEC showcase Saturday, and no name carried more weight than Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson, whom the Colorado Rockies made the first Bulldog off the board at No. 37 overall. Jackson arrives in Colorado off one of the most decorated seasons college baseball has produced in years: a .379/.473/.803 line with 32 home runs, 87 RBI, 88 runs and 26 stolen bases across 67 games. He led the nation in total bases and runs scored and became just the third player in SEC history to win the batting triple crown.
What sets Jackson apart is that he did it behind the plate. He became the first catcher — and only the sixth player in Division I history — to post a 25-homer, 25-steal season at the sport's most demanding position, while posting a .997 fielding percentage and throwing out roughly a third of opposing base runners. The résumé swept the sport's top honors: the Golden Spikes Award, the Dick Howser Trophy, the Buster Posey Award, the Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award, SEC Player of the Year and consensus first-team All-America recognition.
Scouts flag contact consistency — 64 strikeouts in 319 plate appearances — and an unusual path that ran from Wofford through a difficult transition to Athens before his junior breakout. But the power-speed blend at a premium position gives the Rockies a genuine high-ceiling bet, and Jackson leaves having led Georgia to its first College World Series appearance since 2008.
Quick Hits
- Ole Miss makes history: Cade Townsend and Taylor Rabe both heard their names called in the first round, marking the first time two Rebels went in the opening round of the same MLB Draft.
- Peterson goes 19th to Cleveland: Florida right-hander Liam Peterson landed with the Guardians in the first round, becoming the fifth-highest-drafted pitcher and 10th-highest player in Florida program history.
- Twins grab Tinney at 43: Texas catcher Carson Tinney, a 6-foot-4 backstop who led the SEC with 55 walks and earned a 2026 Rawlings Gold Glove, went to Minnesota — the Longhorns' highest-drafted catcher since 1988.
- Brown reunites with a Tiger: The Mariners took LSU outfielder Jake Brown 65th overall, sending him to the Pacific Northwest alongside former teammate Kade Anderson. Brown hit 16 home runs in just 42 games in 2026 after a broken hand suffered April 19 against Texas A&M cost him most of the SEC schedule.
- Gators go global: Florida's Kiyomi McMiller and Aurora Almón are in Managua, Nicaragua for the FIBA Women's AmeriCup Centrobasket Qualifier — McMiller for the Nicaraguan Senior National Team, Almón for the Dominican Republic.
Portal Watch
No transfer portal activity to report in the last 12 hours. With the draft dominating the calendar, roster movement across the SEC has paused while players and programs sort out professional decisions.
Recruiting Buzz
Texas A&M keeps building the nation's top haul. The Aggies added linebacker Mikahi Allen as their 17th SC Next 300 commitment for the 2027 class, which sits at No. 1 in ESPN's class rankings at the mid-July mark.
The draft also created a recruiting subplot: Fort Worth Christian School shortstop Grady Emerson, a Texas commit, went No. 2 overall to the Tampa Bay Rays, per reporting from the draft floor. Emerson now faces a decision between signing with Tampa Bay and honoring his commitment to Austin — a call that will shape the Longhorns' incoming class.
Games to Watch
No games are scheduled across SEC athletics today, July 11. The summer slate keeps the spotlight on the draft and recruiting boards until the fall calendar begins to fill in.
