Kareem Jackson

Jackson was overshadowed by a higher-profile surrounding cast at Alabama. But the cornerback played an integral role in the secondary for the Crimson Tide's national championship defense. Jackson was presented with the team's 2008 Unsung Hero Award for his contributions to the success of the team with the least recognition, but he continued to perform out of the spotlight. The durable and consistent cornerback played in every game for the Crimson Tide over the past three seasons, starting the last 38 contests. He collected 29 pass deflections to rank fourth on the school's all-time record list. The cornerback increased his number of pass breakups in each season at Alabama, and his progression as a player coincides with the success Alabama has had on defense. In his first season, Jackson and the Crimson Tide secondary allowed 221.31 passing yards per game to rank 48th in the country as the team finished with a 7-6 record. The following campaign, the secondary saw an increase in effectiveness as they rose to 30th nationally, allowing 189.36 aerial yards per game while the team concluded the year with a 12-2 record. In Jackson's final season, the defense led the Crimson Tide to an undefeated record and a victory in the BCS National Championship game. Jackson's ability as a shutdown cornerback and the secondary's aggressiveness in press coverage were big reasons why, as they allowed just 166.00 passing yards per game as a unit to rank 10th nationally. Jackson was a star running back at Westside High School. He was rated 17th-best overall prospect in the nation by Rivals.com and competed in The Max Emfinger Third Annual High School All-American Bowl Classic in Shreveport, La. As a senior, he rushed for 1,436 yards with 20 touchdowns, adding 16 tackles with three interceptions on defense. Jackson originally intended to enroll at Vanderbilt University, but the staff asked him to go to Fork Union Military Academy to improve his academics. At Fork Union, he excelled at cornerback, intercepting five passes in his only season at the school. He was given a four-star rating from Rivals.com. After the 2007 season, he changed his mind on Vanderbilt and elected to sign with Alabama following his stint at Fork Union. He was an instant sensation at Alabama, enrolling in time (January of 2007) to compete in spring drills. He came off the bench in the season opener, but started every other game for the Crimson Tide. He ranked fifth on the team with 66 tackles (48 solo) and finished second on the squad with three interceptions. Jackson was named Alabama's Co-Player of the Week after putting on an outstanding performance vs. Tennessee, collecting six solo tackles with one tackle for loss, two pass deflections and two interceptions returned for 29 yards. He captured first-team Freshman All-Southeastern Conference honors from the league's coaches. The following season, Jackson provided the Crimson Tide with a lockdown defender on the edge. He started all 14 games and registered 44 tackles (28 solos), eighth-best on the team, as he added one interception, 10 pass deflections, one fumble recovery and one blocked kick. At season's end, Jackson was presented with the team's 2008 Unsung Hero Award for his contributions to the success of the team with the least recognition. In his final season at Alabama, Jackson was a valuable piece of a secondary that ranked 10th nationally allowing just 166 aerial yards per game. He collected 49 tackles (30 solo) to rank sixth on the team and added three tackles for loss, one interception and 13 pass deflections. Jackson came up big for the eventual national champs vs. Florida in the SEC title game, as he racked up a season-high six tackles with one stop for loss and two pass deflections. At season's end, Jackson announced he would forgo his final season of eligibility to enter the NFL draft.