Chesson was born in Monrovia, Liberia, during the attack on Monrovia by Charles Taylor (later convicted as a war criminal) during the First Liberian Civil War. His father, Jehu Chesson I, worked in the financial industry, but joined Lutheran World Service as a relief worker during the war. His father worked for MasterCard Worldwide in the Saint Louis area.
He attended Ladue Horton Watkins High School where he played at the wide receiver position.
He is tied with Derrick Alexander for the record with four receiving touchdowns in a game. His 207 receiving yards against Indiana on November 14, 2015, also ranks as the third highest total in Michigan football history. He led the team with 1,085 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns in 2015 and was received the Most Valuable Player award for the 2015 team
Chesson moved with his family to Ivory Coast at age two and to Saint Louis, Missouri, at age five.
Chesson grew up in Saint Louis and began playing American football in the eighth grade. He caught 53 passes for 757 yards as a senior, and he was selected as a first-team All-Missouri player.
Chesson accepted a scholarship to play football at the As a freshman in 2012, he redshirted and did not see game action. As a sophomore in 2013, he had a 33-yard touchdown on his first collegiate reception and caught 15 passes for 221 yards.
As a junior in 2014, he caught 14 passes for 154 yards.
As a senior in 2015, Chesson became a regular starter for Michigan. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said of Chesson: "He"s the fastest guy on the team -- clear cut. There is nobody faster than Jehu." Harbaugh added: "I like that guy"s face.
You get to know him, and he has good insight, too.
Chesson also saw action on kickoff returns, and in an October 10, 2015, game against Northwestern, he returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown. On November 14, 2015, Chesson had a breakout game, catching 10 passes for 207 yards and four touchdowns against Indiana.
Three of the four touchdowns were scored in the first half, and the fourth came on a fourth-down play with two seconds remaining in regulation and Michigan trailing 34 to 27. Chesson"s 207 receiving yards ranks as the third highest single-game total in Michigan football history.
He also tied Derrick Alexander"s Michigan single-game record of four receiving touchdowns set in 1992.
He was subsequently named the Company-Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, along with Jake Rudock. Chesson and Rudock became the second-ever pair of teammates in conference history to share the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week Award. During the 2015 season, Chesson led Michigan with 1,085 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns.
He established new career highs with 50 receptions and 764 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns.
He also had 166 return yards and one touchdown on four kick returns and 155 rushing yards and two touchdowns on eight carries (194 yards per carry).
He was also the Missouri high school champion in the 300-meter hurdles in 2011. He"s a first-class individual -- a winner all the way." Chesson"s return against Northwestern was the first kickoff returned for a touchdown by a Michigan player since Darryl Stonum accomplished the feat in 2009 against Notre Dame. Following the 2015 season, Chesson was named to the All-Big Ten offensive first-team, and was awarded the Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player Award, by his teammates.
