UConn lands fourth ESPN 100 recruit in forward Vance Jackson

The Connecticut Huskies added to their elite recruiting class Friday, with top-50 prospectVance Jacksonannouncing his commitment to Kevin Ollie's program.

Jackson, ranked No. 49 in the ESPN 100, chose UConn over California. He took official visits to Connecticut and California, but had previously taken unofficial trips to USC, Arizona and others.

Jackson is the fourth ESPN 100 prospect to commit to Connecticut in the 2016 class, joining five-star point guardAlterique Gilbert (No. 28) and four-star power forwards Juwan Durham (No. 37) and Mamadou Diarra (No. 88).Gilbert is one of the best playmakers in the country, and Durham and Diarra can help anchor the frontcourt.

With Jackson now in the fold, the Huskies move to No. 3 nationally in ESPN's 2016 class rankings.

A 6-foot-8 scoring forward from Prolific Prep (Calif.), Jackson can create matchup problems because of his size, length and shooting ability. He has deep range on his outside jumper and can stretch a defense consistently. Playing for Dream Vision on the Adidas Gauntlet circuit, Jackson averaged 16.0 points and shot better than 38 percent from 3-point range; he shot at a 55.4 percent clip from behind the arc during the Adidas Summer Championships.

Expect Jackson to combine with VCU transfer Terry Larrier, who is sitting out the upcoming season, to form a versatile forward duo during the 2016-17 season. Both players have length and can make shots from deep.

Jackson also continues Ollie's growing West Coast pipeline. In recent years, both DeAndre Daniels and Daniel Hamilton have made the move from California to Connecticut.

With a group now cemented into the top three nationally, the Huskies don't have too many targets remaining in 2016. They could still pursue ESPN 100 prospect Brendan Bailey, who made an official visit to UConn but is expected to take a mission and enroll in college as a freshman in 2018. Bailey also has Gonzaga, Michigan, San Diego State and Marquette on his list.