IOWA CITY – Iowa sometimes has trouble moving the ball on offense, but stopping the ball on defense will continue to be a big strength as the Hawkeyes add seasoned graduate transfer Nick Jackson from Virginia to their fall roster.
Nick Jackson
Linebacker
6-1, 234, Senior
Atlanta, Ga. (The Lovett School)
Virginia
At Virginia – – Career totals include starting 33 of 46 games played . . . 354 tackles, including 161 solo tackles and 193 assists . . . also has 20 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks, with eight pass break-ups and one forced fumble.
2022 Honors – – Second-team All-ACC . . . Associated Press second-team All-ACC . . . third-team All-ACC by Phil Steele . . . named ACC Linebacker of the Week (Oct. 31) . . . named Virginia defensive MVP following the season . . . named to the NSCA Strength and Conditioning All-America Team based on academic achievement, personal integrity, athletic accomplishments and dedication to strength and conditioning . . . first-team VaSID all-state selection . . . named to preseason watch lists for the Bednarik Award, Butkus Award and 2023 Senior Bowl . . . named preseason second-team All-ACC by Athlon Sports, Phil Steele and Pick Six Previews . . . 2022 – – Started nine of 10 games in which he saw action . . . led the ACC and ranked ninth in the nation with 10.4 tackles per game … 104 total tackles to rank fifth in the ACC . . . notched career-high five sacks and seven TFL . . . third-straight 100-tackle season . . . 14 tackles in win over Richmond, including 10 solo tackles and one tackle for loss . . . nine tackles in loss at Illinois, with one tackle for loss and sack . . . eight tackles and two pass break-ups in win over Old Dominion . . . 10 tackles at Syracuse, with one sack and tackle for loss . . . 10 tackles at Duke, including eight assists . . . 11 tackles vs. Louisville . . . eight tackles in win at Georgia Tech, two sacks and tackles for loss . . . 14 tackles in narrow loss to Miami . . . nine tackles vs. North Carolina . . . 11 tackles and a pass break-up vs. Pittsburgh.
2021 Honors – – Second-team All-ACC . . . second-team All-ACC by Associated Press and Phil Steele . . . preseason All-ACC . . . named to preseason Butkus Award Watch List . . . 2021 – – Started all 12 games . . . recorded 117 tackles to lead the ACC, including 54 solo tackles and 63 assists . . . seven double-digit tackle efforts on the season, with five of those games in conference play . . . matched career-high of 16 tackles against BYU on Oct. 30, the fourth highest total of any ACC linebacker on the season… One of four team captains . . . 12 tackles vs. William & Mary . . . seven tackles in win at Illinois . . . 10 tackles at North Carolina . . . 11 tackles vs. Wake Forest . . . 11 tackles in shutout win over Duke . . . nine tackles vs. Notre Dame . . . 12 tackles at Pitt . . . 10 tackles vs. Virginia Tech.
2020 Honors – – Third-team All-ACC . . . second-team All-ACC by Phil Steele . . . honorable mention All-ACC by Pro Football Focus . . . named to 2021 ACC Academic Honor Roll . . . 2020 – – Started all 10 games… ranked second in the ACC and 16th in the nation with 10.5 tackles per game . . . ranked second in the ACC and 16th in the nation with 5.5 solo tackles per game… totaled career-high 12 tackles in opening against Duke, added with one tackle for loss . . . led defense with 12 tackles at No. 1 Clemson . . . caught first collegiate pass on a fake punt against NC State for 26 yards . . . added seven tackles against the Wolfpack . . . recorded six tackles and one tackle for loss at Wake Forest . . . led team with 16 tackles at No. 11 Miami, with one tackle for loss and a shared sack . . . led team with 13 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble in win over No. 15 North Carolina . . . led team with 10 stops against Louisville . . . added one sack in the win . . . collected 11 tackles in win over Abilene Christian . . . led team with 11 tackles in win over Boston College, with one pass break-up . . . seven tackles and one tackle for loss at Virginia Tech . . .
2019 – – Appeared in all 14 games with two starts . . . one of 17 true freshmen to appear in 2019 . . . made collegiate debut on special teams at Pitt . . . recorded two tackles against William & Mary . . . notched three tackles against Duke . . . four tackles at Louisville . . . earned first collegiate start at North Carolina, recording three tackles in win over the Tar Heels . . . two tackles and a shared sack against Liberty . . . one stop against Virginia Tech . . . nine tackles and a shared tackle for loss in ACC Championship game against Clemson . . . started in the Orange Bowl against Florida, collecting four tackles.
High school honors – – Regarded as three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247 sports.com . . . recipient of the 2022-2023 Gretchen Savin MacIlwaine Football Scholarship . . . Career – – Played linebacker and wide receiver . . . recorded 95 tackles, 10 tackles for a loss, 2.5 sacks and caused one fumble as a senior . . . also had 26 receptions for 406 yards and three touchdowns . . . recorded 57 tackles, three sacks and caused one fumble as a junior . . . collected 26 tackles and eight tackles for a loss as sophomore … career receiving totals include 72 receptions for 1,224 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 17 yards per reception.
Personal – – Born 1/5/2001 . . . Commerce major . . . parents are Lisa Sanders and Doug Jackson . . . high school coach was Mike Muschamp.
Career Bests
Tackles: 16, twice, last at BYU, 10/30/21
Solo: 9 at BYU, 10/30/21
Assists: 10, three times, last vs. Miami, 10/29/22
Tackles for Loss: 4 vs. Duke, 10/16/21
QB Sacks: 2 at Georgia Tech, 10/20/22
Pass Break-Ups: 2 vs. Old Dominion, 9/17/22
Forced Fumbles: 1 vs. North Carolina, 10/31/20
Career Statistics
Year Total Solo Ast. TFL/Yds. Sacks/Yds. PBU Int. FF
2019 28 11 17 1/? 0.5 0 0 0
2020 105 55 50 6 2.5 2 0 1
2021 117 54 63 6 2.5 2 0 0
2022 104 41 63 7 5 4 0 0
Career 354 161 193 20/? 10.5/? 8 0 1
(PHOTO: NIACK JACKSON via virginiasports.com)
