Lucky

Jackson

Jackson functioned as the deep threat for the Defenders in the XFL’s 2023 season, finishing ninth in receptions (36) and fifth in receiving yards (573) in the league’s 2023 return to action. Jackson, who played college football at Western Kentucky, led the XFL this season in receptions of more than ten yards. He has an outside shot at cracking the Vikings’ final roster.

Jackson (6'1/185) was the favored target of QB Ty Storey by a significant margin, as his 17 catches were 11 more than the next-best Hilltopper. The redshirt senior finishes his 2019 season with 94 receptions, 1,133 receiving yards and four touchdowns, and he’ll end his career as one of the most productive receivers in WKU history. Jackson isn’t projected to be drafted this spring, but he’ll likely be invited to a rookie minicamp and given the chance of earning a training camp spot.

With just 1:20 elapsed in the third quarter, Jackson took a Ty Storey offering and went 64 yards to give the Hilltoppers a 17-13 lead. It’s the fourth-straight game that the 6-foot-1, 185-pound wideout has procured at least seven catches, and he’s up to 77 grabs on the season along with three touchdowns. Jackson will add to both totals in December in a bowl game, as Western Kentucky finishes the regular season 8-4.

What a three weeks it’s been for Jackson (6'1/185). A nine-catch effort is actually down from the week before when he went off for 16 receptions and 168 yards in a close loss to the Thundering Herd. This makes back-to-back-to-back games that the talented wideout has gone over 140 yards, and he’s scored in two-of-three contests; with this one being a 54-yarder in the first quarter. Jackson can really play, and he should continue the good run -- to some extent -- next Saturday against Arkansas.

There was nothing “lucky” about the performance put forth by Jackson (6'1/185) outside of his first name. The redshirt senior’s 16 receptions set a program record, and the 168 receiving yards represent a new career high. Jackson has reached the end zone just once this season, but he heads into the final month of the regular season tied for the team lead in receptions (46) and alone in first in receiving yards (572). Next up for Jackson and is teammates will be a Nov. 2 matchup with FAU.

The trick pass Jackson (6'1/185) threw for a score was somehow low on the list of his exciting plays on the day. Jackson averaged nearly 30 yards per reception as he took off for a number of long gains. Only three other players in the game had one play to go over 30 yards, let along average 30 yards per reception. Jackson had not been particularly productive to this point in the year, so he needed a game like this one.

Jackson (6'1/185) topped the Hilltoppers’ receiving efforts with only 45 yards. Two other Western Kentucky players also caught five passes, but Jackson’s 9.0 yards per catch led the pack, somehow. Jackson has proven to be a similar presence in all of Western Kentucky’s games, catching a small handful of passes with not flashy to show for it. Western Kentucky will face Charlotte a week from now.

Jackson (6'1/185) was the Hilltoppers leading receiver, but it was WR Mik’Quan Deane who finished off the drives for two red zone touchdowns. In the second quarter, Jackson made a couple defenders miss -- as he often does -- on his way to a 41-yard catch and run that setup WKU for a red zone score shortly after. With another strong performance today, Jackson is averaging 5-71-0.5 through four games. The Hilltoppers get Marshall next Saturday.

With Taywan Taylor and Nicholas Norris gone, the Hilltoppers need a wide receiver to step up. It was only one week, but Jackson looks like that wideout. The 6-foot-1 165-pounder easily maneuvered through the Eastern Kentucky secondary, and his 66-yard touchdown from quarterback Mike White in the first quarter was a thing of beauty. Assuming he is White’s go-to player, Jackson has a chance to put up big numbers, and he could end up near the top of Conference USA in yards and touchdowns.

Taywan Taylor and Nicholas Norris took 3,048 receiving yards and 31 touchdowns out the door with them this offseason, leaving the top of the receiving depth chart open for change. Jackson (6'1/185), who had 26 catches for 395 yards and two scores a year ago, is the leading contender to emerge as Mike White’s go-to receiver. “The thing about (Jackson), he comes with energy every day,” OC Junior Adams said. “He comes to work every day and he practices hard and he practices fast and he’s very conscientious.” Said QB Mike White: "(Jackson’s) done great things. He learned a lot from those guys, (Taylor) and Norris, and the guys before him. He kind of took it upon himself, between him and Fant, to kinda be the alpha of that group and lead those guys.” Senior Nacarius Fant is the heavy front-runner to function as WKU’s No. 2 wideout.