Head coach John Fox and the Chicago Bears could potentially have the next Charles “Peanut” Tillman in its secondary with selecting Eddie Jackson in the fourth round — 112th overall pick — of the NFL Draft.
Two weeks after getting a call from the Bears, the former Alabama safety and dynamic return specialist graced the cover of EastBay Magazine for the month of May. EastBay, the world’s leading supplier of athletic gear, featured Jackson in a 10-second video on its Twitter account.
Take the #training challenge from @EJackson_4 and don't be outworked in your offseason! #Prepare4Greatness pic.twitter.com/MYWj7uCDWj
— Eastbay (@Eastbay) May 10, 2017
Before earning his first cover on Monday and making it into the National Football League, the Florida native was a standout defensive back for the Crimson Tide from 2013-16. He totaled 130 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 12 pass breakups and nine interceptions throughout his four-year tenure. Jackson carried a team-high six picks during the Tide’s 2015 national championship season, including two for touchdowns against Georgia and Texas A&M. His biggest takeaway of the year came off the arm of Clemson’s quarterback Deshaun Watson in the 2016 College Football Playoff national championship game, which helped Alabama claim a 45-40 victory.
Although a serious leg injury would limit him to eight games in 2016, Jackson gave everything he had on defense and special teams – making him one of four permanent team captains. As a punt returner, he ran back 11 attempts for 253 return yards with two touchdowns against Ole Miss and Tennessee.
Jackson was a major component behind three Southeastern Conference championships.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @Smsmith_TDALMag.
