Jack Wilkins is the type of player anyone would want in their program. This season Salina football has a new head coach in Clayton Saiz and he has already taken notice of Wilkins.

“Jack is a great player and even better teammate and person,” Saiz said.

Wilkins, who is entering his senior year at Salina, plays running back and strong safety for the Wildcats. In 2021 Wilkins managed to pick up over 1,000 yards from the line of scrimmage and scored 10 touchdowns. He was also a leader in the defensive secondary and had 67 tackles, three interceptions, and a fumble recovery.

Wilkins even played a bit of quarterback and is tasked with returning kicks on special teams. It’s no wonder that coaches affectionately refer to Wilkins as a true “Jack of all trades” which helped him earn the status as a VYPE Top 100 player.

For Wilkins, the key to being a good football player is simple, “Be mean,” he said.

Going into the fall, Wilkins is looking forward to competing week in and out. However, there is one game on the schedule that stands out amongst the rest: a rematch with Adair.

Last season Salina fell just short in a 22-20 loss at Adair, but for Wilkins the game only served as more motivation. Even though Salina got the short end of the stick that particular evening, Wilkins said that the game is still one of his favorite moments in Salina. Expect the October rematch with Adair –this time at home– to be an opportunity for Wilkins and his teammates to get a shot at redemption.

While Wilkins is a stud on the gridiron, he also plays baseball, and does so very well. After high school, Wilkins said his goal is to play baseball in college and further his education. When it comes to inspirational figures Wilkins said that his grandpa was his role model. Look for Jackson Wilkins to make an impact this year for the Salina Wildcats and continue to demonstrate his leadership on and off the field.