Adoree Jackson’s next wish is green light to help Giants in critical game

Adoree’ Jackson thinks he was in fourth grade when he wrote his 10 wishes in a notebook:

1. Occupation/Career: Professional ball player.

2. Salary: $1.8 million.

3. Family: wife and two children.

4. Dreams: To be known as the GREATEST.

5. House: Something fancy.

6. Car: 64 Impalas and a Viper.

7. Love: Someone who wants me for me and not for my skills.

8. Fit: Stay in shape not to buff.

9. Succeeded: Make all my dreams come true.

ten. Graduate: Have a good education and a full scholarship.

“I checked off a few,” Jackson told The Post on Wednesday.

Jackson’s 11th wish now is to return for Sunday’s Win And In game against the Colts at MetLife Stadium. He returned Wednesday to the training ground listed as limited. He’s been missed a lot in the last five games since sustaining an MCL sprain and returning a punt against the Lions.

“I miss them,” Jackson said.

He is more optimistic than he was a week ago.

“Every week I get better,” Jackson said.

His return is the number one wish of his Giants teammates.

“I think he plays with a lot of confidence, a lot of self-belief, and then obviously you have to have the ability,” Darius Slayton said. “I think he has all the physical tools as well as the mental mindset to be that guy.

“I don’t think you can overstate how much he means to our team, even beyond being a player, just a personality. We definitely miss him, and hopefully he can leave soon. .

Adoree’ Jackson: “I miss them.”

Fabian Moreau and Nick McCloud tried to hold the fort in Jackson’s absence. Adoree’ Jackson either.

“He’s definitely one of the best corners in the league,” safety Tony Jefferson said. “I think he doesn’t get as much respect as he deserves, but he was playing really, really well before his injury. He’s a type of guy who can change the dynamic of a defense once he’s in the game.

Nick Foles would be less inclined to target Michael Pittman Jr. against Jackson. A playoff spot would likely bring Justin Jefferson or Deebo Samuel.

“He sticks to guys like glue,” Kayvon Thibodeaux said.

Jackson became Wink Martindale’s No. 1 corner because James Bradberry signed with the Eagles as a salary cap victim.

“I really didn’t take it as a pressure, in a way, I just took it as an opportunity to show my talents, my abilities,” he said.

He had been dangling this season too.

“I had no choice,” Jackson said. “But I feel like I’m competing, and I was competing at a high level.”

He was hoping to return last week, but the Giants aren’t rushing injured players.

“He has the experience of lining up against the top guys,” Julian Love said. “He has the athletic ability to do everything a corner kick should do.”

Basketball and athletics — relays and the long jump — were his first loves.

“That confidence came back when I was in college at the start of my freshman year, I went to the Olympic trials,” Jackson said. “At that point, I’m like, ‘Man, I just faced the best in the world.’ After finishing the track, I told my [USC] coaches, I was going to win the Thorpe. I told them that year, like I wanted to keep the best receivers. Our first game happened to be against Alabama, Calvin Ridley. And it went from there. »

Jackson, like most promising cornerbacks, looked up to Darrelle Revis.

“His workout clips are pretty crazy,” he said. “The patience, the things he had – and how smart and intuitive he was in the game.”

It’s almost as if he was born to perform on this stage.

“It’s a tough city, but it’s a city that’s dedicated to the team,” Jackson said. “When they don’t like us it kind of feels like my dad is growing up, even though I was playing well he would always talk trash to me. It’s one of those things where I’ve always been able to accept that.

Charles Jackson tells a story about when his son was 5 or 6 years old.

“I think that’s when ‘Space Jam’ first came out,” Charles told the Post. “We had a California king bed, and the goal was on one side and he runs through the house and jumps all over the bed and doesn’t hit the bed and dipped that ball on his little ‘Space Jam’ goal . And you know what he said? He looked at his mom and said, ‘Mom, I’m going to make you rich.’

“Then he showed her some people sitting in the front row at a basketball game on TV one day, ‘Mom, do you see that? Do you see people over there? That’s where you and dad are going to be sitting right there.”

Ma and Pa will be at MetLife if and when Adoree’ gives them the green light he’s been given the green light to return. The Giants hope that’s more than wishful thinking.