Matthew Jackson (American football)
{{Short description|American football player (born 1998)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Matthew Jackson
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_team =
| number =
| position = Safety
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|11|9}}
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lb = 209
| high_school = Hillsboro {{nowrap|(Nashville, Tennessee)}}
| college = Eastern Kentucky (2017–2022)
| undraftedyear = 2023
| pastteams =
- Tennessee Titans ({{NFL Year|2023}})
- Jacksonville Jaguars ({{NFL Year|2024}})*
| status =
| highlights =
| statseason = 2023
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 6
| statlabel2 =
| statvalue2 =
| pfr = JackMa04
}}
Matthew Alexander Jackson (born November 9, 1998) is an American professional football safety. He played college football at Eastern Kentucky.
Early life
Jackson was born on November 9, 1998.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4250737/matthew-jackson|title=Matthew Jackson - Tennessee Titans Safety|website=ESPN|access-date=August 29, 2023}} He attended Hillsboro High School and competed in both football and track and field.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nashvillepost.com/sports/football/titans-crop-of-undrafted-free-agents-includes-nashvilles-matthew-jackson/article_21c3f180-f0e1-11ed-ba50-076d897150d3.html|newspaper=Nashville Post|title=Titans' crop of undrafted free agents includes Nashville's Matthew Jackson|date=May 12, 2023|author=Glennon, John}} As a junior in 2015, he had 39 total stops, an interception, and two defensive touchdowns.{{Cite news|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/high-school/2016/09/04/hillsboros-matthew-jackson-commits-eastern-kentucky/89864900/|newspaper=The Tennessean|title=Hillsboro's Matthew Jackson commits to Eastern Kentucky|date=September 4, 2016|author=Murphy, Michael}} The following season, he was named team captain and led the squad with 64 tackles, additionally having two interceptions, one of which he returned for a 100-yard touchdown. At the same time, he won the city long jump championship while competing in track and field and participated at the state tournament. He committed to play college football for the Eastern Kentucky Colonels over several other FCS offers.
College career
As a true freshman at Eastern Kentucky in 2017, Jackson redshirted.{{Cite web|url=https://ekusports.com/sports/football/roster/matthew-jackson/8941|publisher=Eastern Kentucky Colonels|title=Matthew Jackson}} He saw limited action over the next two seasons, having 11 tackles in 11 games in 2018 and 15 tackles in 10 games in 2019 while appearing mostly on special teams.{{Cite web|url=https://herosports.com/fcs-football-2022-jersey-countdown-matthew-jackson-bzbz/|website=HERO Sports|title=2022 FCS Jersey Countdown: 33 — The Best Player Who Wears No. 33 Is EKU’s Matthew Jackson|author=Herder, Sam|date=July 29, 2022}} He saw his first major action in 2020; starting at linebacker, he recorded a team-leading 79 tackles, as well as eight {{abbr|TFLs|tackles-for-loss}} and 2.5 sacks, in nine games, three of which were played against FBS opponents. The following season, Jackson posted 102 tackles, 11 TFLs, eight pass breakups, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles in 11 games played, earning all-conference honors, being a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award for best FCS defensive player, and winning Phil Steele's ASUN Conference Defensive Player of the Year Award.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wtvq.com/eku-football-stars-earn-asun-phil-steele-all-american-honors/|publisher=WTVQ-DT|title=EKU football stars earn ASUN, Phil Steele All-American honors|date=January 11, 2022|author=Rogers, Steve}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.richmondregister.com/eku-football-jackson-named-preseason-all-american/article_ec48e82c-11e2-11ed-8a37-6b1736599e6b.html|newspaper=Richmond Register|title=Jackson named preseason all-american|date=August 1, 2022}} In his final year, 2022, he led Eastern Kentucky with 87 tackles and also compiled 7.5 TFLs, two fumble recoveries and two sacks on his way to being named all-conference and a third-team All-American by Stats Perform.{{Cite web|url=https://ekusports.com/news/2022/12/20/jackson-mckinney-tabbed-as-stats-perform-fcs-all-americans|publisher=Eastern Kentucky Colonels|title=Jackson, McKinney Tabbed As Stats Perform FCS All-Americans|date=December 20, 2022}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 1 1/2
| weight = 209
| dash = 4.52
| ten split = 1.64
| twenty split = 2.53
| shuttle = 4.37
| cone drill = 7.01
| vertical = 38.5
| broad ft = 11
| broad in = 2
| bench = 17
| arm span = 31 1/4
| hand span = 9
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |title=2023 NFL Draft Scout Matthew Jackson College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1027929&DraftYear=2023 |access-date=January 17, 2024 |website=DraftScout.com}}
}}
=Tennessee Titans=
After going unselected in the 2023 NFL draft, Jackson was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wkrn.com/sports/former-hillsboro-standout-matthew-jackson-signs-udfa-deal-with-titans/|publisher=WKRN-TV|title=Former Hillsboro standout Matthew Jackson signs UDFA deal with Titans |author=Terry, Samaria|date=May 31, 2023}} He was one of five undrafted rookies to make the team's final roster.{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/titans/news/five-undrafted-rookies-make-tennessee-titans-53-man-roster-including-caleb-murphy-kearis-jackson|website=Sports Illustrated|title=Five Undrafted Rookies Make Tennessee Titans 53-Man Roster Including Caleb Murphy & Kearis Jackson|author=Rowland, Tyler|date=August 29, 2023}} He was waived on November 18 and re-signed to the practice squad three days later.{{cite web|title=Titans Make Several Roster Moves Ahead of Sunday's Game vs the Jaguars|url=https://www.tennesseetitans.com/news/titans-make-several-roster-moves-ahead-of-sunday-s-game-vs-the-jaguars|author=Wyatt, Jim|website=TennesseeTitans.com|date=November 18, 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Ulrich |first1=Logan |title=Titans Make Three Roster Moves |url=https://nfltraderumors.co/titans-make-three-roster-moves-3/ |website=NFL Trade Rumors |access-date=22 November 2023}} He was promoted to the active roster on January 6, 2024.
Jackson was waived on August 27, 2024.{{cite web|title=Titans Trim Roster Ahead of NFL's Deadline|url=https://www.tennesseetitans.com/news/titans-trim-roster-ahead-of-nfl-s-deadline-x2824|author=Wyatt, Jim|website=TennesseeTitans.com|date=August 27, 2024}}
=Jacksonville Jaguars=
Jackson was signed to the Jacksonville Jaguars' practice squad on August 29, 2024.{{cite web |title=Roster Moves: Jaguars Sign OL Blake Hance, S Matthew Jackson and WR Louis Rees-Zammit to the Practice Squad |url=https://www.jaguars.com/news/roster-moves-jaguars-sign-ol-blake-hance-s-matthew-jackson-and-wr-louis-rees-zammit-to-the-practice-squad |website=Jaguars.com |publisher=Jacksonville Jaguars |access-date=30 August 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://ekusports.com/sports/football/roster/matthew-jackson/8941 Eastern Kentucky Colonels bio]
- [https://www.tennesseetitans.com/team/players-roster/matthew-jackson/ Tennessee Titans bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Matthew}}
Category:Players of American football from Chicago
Category:Players of American football from Nashville, Tennessee
Category:American football safeties
Category:Eastern Kentucky Colonels football players