Undrafted linebacker Nick Jackson has put himself in position to battle for a coveted spot on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 53-man roster. Jackson has put on a sensational show throughout the preseason, elevating Todd Bowles' defense with his production. Against the Tennessee Titans in preseason Week One, Jackson spearheaded the club with six tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss (team high) a quarterback hit, an acrobatic one-handed interception and a pass defensed. He became the first Buccaneer player since 2017 to record a sack and an interception in the same preseason game. Jackson lived in the backfield during his debut performance, and he nabbed another sack in Preseason Week Two against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"I am just grateful to the coaching staff and the calls that we have been making," said Jackson. "It really starts up front with the defensive line and the defensive backs and those guys have done a good job of holding shells and getting movement up front and it is just an honor really to be here and to play behind those guys and to play with those guys."
Jackson participated in the Buccaneers' rookie minicamp on a tryout contract and impressed enough to earn a spot on the 90-man roster. He defied the odds and is now looking to earn a spot on the 53. Jackson played four seasons at Virginia before finishing his collegiate tenure at Iowa (two seasons). Overall, he appeared in a staggering 73 games and racked up 555 tackles, 17.0 sacks, 33 tackles for loss, one interception, 19 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Jackson, an off-ball linebacker, has picked the brain of the other veterans in the position room, including Lavonte David, Anthony Walker Jr. and Deion Jones.
"Lavonte, I cannot express how much he has meant to me and my development," described Jackson. "Every single day I just kind of ask him questions and what he sees, or he will look over at me and tell me little things about my feet, my eyes, my hands and Anthony Walker and Deion Jones, they are the same way. They are teaching me different concepts. Anthony Walker is big on my urgency and getting into drops and different shells and stuff like that, and Deion is big on communication and teaching me different things about how to use my body. Those three vets have taught me a lot."
The work has paid dividends on the gridiron and Jackson has created an electric spark in the preseason. He is rangy and instinctive with the athleticism to play in space as a drop defender. Jackson effectively locates the ball and reacts at the second level. He has turned heads with flashy plays throughout the offseason workout program and has taken advantage of reps.
