The championship that has eluded Georgia baseball for a generation is now within reach.. The Bulldogs entered the 2026 College World Series as the highest-ranked squad in the eight-team field, as the No. 3 national seed (No. 1 UCLA and No. 2 Georgia Tech both fell in the regional round of the NCAA tournament). And with a resounding 7-1 victory against No. 6 Texas in their CWS opener on Saturday, June 13, they got that much closer to making the CWS championship series.. Advertisement. Advertisement. Advertisement. In that push for their first national title since 1990, one player has been particularly important.. REQUIRED READING: ‘They’ll write poems about him’: Joey Volchko buzz lingers at CWS. Catcher/outfielder Daniel Jackson has been as productive and valuable player as there has been in college baseball this season, the centerpiece of a potent Georgia offense that leads all Division I teams in home runs (175) and is second in runs scored (602). Jackson is tied for second among Division I players in RBI and is tied for third in home runs.. Since the end of the regular season, the 6-foot-2 junior’s exceptional output has been recognized by some of the most prestigious honors his sport has to offer. Last Friday, Jackson was named the winner of the Dick Howser Trophy, given annually to the top player in college baseball, and is one of three finalists for the Golden Spikes, which is awarded to the top amateur baseball player in the country.. Advertisement. Advertisement. Advertisement. As the Bulldogs get ready for their game against Oklahoma in the winner’s bracket of the CWS on Monday, June 15, here’s a closer look at Jackson:. REQUIRED READING: Georgia baseball gets feel for College World Series ballpark in Omaha. Jackson showed his potential last season at Georgia after transferring over from Wofford, starting in 36 of the team’s 45 games, playing five different positions (catcher, right field, designated hitter, left field and first base), and hitting .240 and 14 home runs for a team that went 43-17 and hosted a regional in the NCAA tournament.. Advertisement. Advertisement. Advertisement. This season, he has transformed into something few, if any, would have realistically expected.. Entering his team’s second game in the College World Series, Jackson is tied for third among all Division I players in home runs (31), tied for second in RBI (86) and fifth in slugging percentage (.820). He won the triple crown in the SEC, leading the best conference in college baseball in batting average, RBI and home runs. He’s just one of three players, and first catcher, in Division I history to have at least 30 home runs and 25 stolen bases in a season.. His accolades this season have gotten him some hard-earned hardware.. Last week, Jackson became the second Dick Howser Trophy winner in the past three years from Georgia, following in the footsteps of Charlie Condon in 2024. Jackson has also won the Buster Posey Award, given to the nation’s top catcher, and the Bobby Bragan National Collegiate Slugger Award. Not surprisingly, he was also named the SEC player of the year.. Advertisement. Advertisement. Advertisement. “He’s a special player,” Georgia coach Wes Johnson said of Jackson earlier this season. “You just don’t get those kind of athletes. A catcher that runs a 6.5 (60-yard dash) and hits like he hits and has the feel to steal bases and throws.”. Thanks to Jackson’s output, Georgia won the SEC tournament for the first time ever and won the league’s regular-season title for the first time since 2008.. He stepped up in the Bulldogs’ biggest games, too, batting .450 with a double, four home runs, seven RBI and drawing four walks in five regional and super regional games. He punctuated that with a go-ahead, two-run home run in the top of the 10th inning in a win against No. 14 Mississippi State in the Athens Super Regional, which clinched a spot for his team in the CWS.. Here’s a look at Jackson’s highlights from this season:. Here’s a year-by-year look at Jackson’s college stats:. Advertisement. Advertisement. Advertisement. 2024 (Wofford): .357 batting average, 69 RBI, 12 home runs, .599 slugging percentage, 4 steals. 2025 (Georgia): .240 batting average, 36 RBI, 14 home runs, .556 slugging percentage, 12 steals. 2026 (Georgia): .388 batting average, 86 RBI, 31 home runs, .820 slugging percentage, 26 steals. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Daniel Jackson is college baseball’s best player. Here’s what to know about him