The junior Husker I-back declared for the NFL Draft on Monday — the last day players could do so.
STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Monday, January 15, 2007 6:00 pm
Say this for Brandon Jackson’s decision to declare for the NFL Draft:
It wasn’t made whimsically.
After several days of careful consideration, the Nebraska junior I-back formally announced his plans late Monday afternoon, on the final day of the league-imposed deadline for underclassmen to make their declarations.
“Well, I’ll tell you what, it’s a big step for him,” said Jackson’s high school coach, Larry Gann of Horn Lake, Miss., who waited anxiously for Jackson’s decision along with several other people close to the player.
“He obviously didn’t make that decision on the spur of the moment,” Gann said. “I think he still loves his teammates. Maybe part of this (delayed announcement) is he feels like he’s letting them down. He thought it through, and I wish him the best.”
Jackson, Nebraska’s leading rusher this season, was believed to be among the last of some 40 college underclassmen to enter the April 28-29 draft.
“Coming off a good year at Nebraska, I felt like the situation and timing was right for me to advance to the professional level,” Jackson said in a statement prepared by the university. He declined interview requests.
News that Jackson was considering the NFL surfaced publicly early last week. He hopes to become the first Nebraska running back selected in the draft since Correll Buckhalter (fourth round) and Dan Alexander (sixth) in 2001.
Jackson becomes the 10th Nebraska player overall and first Husker running back since 1998 to leave school a year early in favor of the NFL. Ahman Green was selected in the third round in 1998 by the Seattle Seahawks.
This year’s NFL Draft begins April 28 with the first three rounds, with the fourth through seventh rounds occurring the following day.
A former high school star in Horn Lake, Jackson has been projected to be selected in the middle rounds, though a first-day selection seems realistic.
In addition to Jackson, top running backs in the draft pool include Adrian Peterson of Oklahoma (who averaged 144.6 yards in seven games this season), Marshawn Lynch of California (104.3), Michael Bush of Louisville (suffered broken leg in opener), Antonio Pittman of Ohio State (94.9), Dwayne Wright of Fresno State (121.2), Jon Cornish of Kansas (121.4), Tony Hunt of Penn State (106.6), Darius Walker of Notre Dame (97.5), Kenny Irons of Auburn (81.2) and Gary Russell of Minnesota (academically ineligible).
Peterson and Pittman also announced their draft decisions Monday.
The 5-foot-10, 210-pound Jackson this season carried 188 times for 989 yards (5.3 per carry) and eight touchdowns. He also ranked third on the squad with 33 receptions (for 313 yards) and two touchdowns.
After Nebraska’s four running backs shared carries nearly evenly during the first five games, Jackson began to separate from the pack. He finished the regular season ranked third in the Big 12 in both rushing (73.2 yards per game) and all-purpose yards (109.8).
Jackson suffered a broken hand in the Dec. 2 Big 12 Championship Game and was limited throughout much of the month of practice leading to the Cotton Bowl. In NU’s 17-14 loss to Auburn, he wore a splint on the injured hand and rushed seven times for 38 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown, as sophomore Marlon Lucky received the brunt of the action at I-back.
“My decision was not based on the last game of the season,” Jackson said in the prepared statement. “It was based on the opportunity in front of me to play at the next level in the NFL.”
Gann, however, said Jackson was unhappy about his playing time in the bowl game.
“That’s the only time I’ve heard him say he was upset about anything up there (at Nebraska),” Gann said. “He didn’t say a whole lot about it. He just said he was disappointed.”
At least three other factors may have contributed to Jackson’s decision, Gann said:
n Jackson regards playing in the NFL as a good way to help his family financially.
n His perception that this year’s pool of running backs in the draft may not be as deep or talented as next year, when sophomores such as Steve Slaton of West Virginia, Darren McFadden and Felix Jones of Arkansas, Ian Johnson of Boise State, Ray Rice of Rutgers and Jonathan Stewart of Oregon become eligible.
n John Blake’s departure last month for an assistant coach’s job at North Carolina. Blake recruited Jackson to Nebraska, and the two remain extremely close, Gann said.
“Brandon always knew he could go to John when he needed to talk to somebody,” Gann said.
Meanwhile, Nebraska coach Bill Callahan, in a prepared statement, wished Jackson the best.
“We were hopeful he would choose to stay at Nebraska to complete his eligibility and, most importantly, continue to pursue his college degree,” the coach said.
With Jackson out of the Nebraska I-back picture, the 6-foot, 210-pound Lucky probably takes over a lead role, considering the extensive amount of practice repetitions he received last month in Jackson’s absence. Lucky finished the season with 728 yards rushing and 383 receiving, with six touchdowns.
Sophomore Cody Glenn, sidelined the final three games by a foot injury, finished with 370 rushing yards, and junior Kenny Wilson wound up with 335. The Huskers also have verbal commitments from three running backs to sign letters-of-intent next month — Quentin Castille of La Porte, Texas; Roy Helu of Danville, Calif.; and Marcus Mendoza of Houston.
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.