NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Second-year Tennessee Titans security Matthew Jackson’s first NFL snap is one he’ll all the time keep in mind. Having grown up in a housing complicated known as CWA Plaza within the shadows of Nissan Stadium, the Titans’ dwelling was in eyesight of his residence — the place all he needed to do was cross the road to be on the premises.
So when Jackson lined up alongside veteran kicker Nick People as a part of the protection unit for the season-opening kickoff towards the New Orleans Saints, the one factor he may consider was how electrifying the setting was on the Caesars Superdome as he donned the colours of the workforce that he grew up envying, and the whole lot appeared like a film.
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“That was most likely the most important ambiance of my life,” Jackson advised ESPN. “You do not overlook when the brilliant lights are on and that was most likely the loudest stadium I ever performed in.”
The Superdome attendance dwarfed the dimensions crowds Jackson was used to taking part in in entrance of in school at Jap Kentucky. And there positively weren’t waves of individuals piling in to observe Jackson play at Hillsboro Excessive Faculty in Nashville.
Jackson was born in Chicago, however he moved to Nashville together with his mother and brother when he was a yr outdated.
His mom, Andrea Clark, had Jackson on the age of 19. She acquired a full scholarship by means of the United Negro Faculty Fund to attend Fisk College in Nashville on the time, however it required her to start out college quickly after taking a yr off. So she moved south, the place she labored a customer support job on prime of college to make ends meet as soon as they arrived.
It wasn’t till the primary grade that Jackson began taking part in organized soccer. Clark wanted to search out an outlet that allowed her son to burn off additional vitality. Jackson’s lecturers used to name Clark generally as a result of they felt he was disrupting the training atmosphere.
“I put him in soccer so I would not lose my job,” Clark stated. “I wished to stop myself from having to maintain leaving work.”
Soccer apply was the outlet Jackson wanted.
“Soccer was a solution that I did not know I used to be praying for as a result of I used to be like, ‘I do not know learn how to deal with him,'” Clark stated. “He is all the time been so excessive vitality.”
JACKSON WAS A standout in observe and discipline as an extended jumper along with soccer throughout his highschool days.
Attending a magnet college like Hillsboro supplied Jackson the chance to get away from the kind of neighborhood he grew up in. He needed to stand up early within the morning to take two metropolis busses to get to high school.
“Understanding the place I grew up, the place I used to be going to go to, so far as what zone college I used to be in, I knew it was a greater alternative,” Jackson stated. “I may have ended up just like the common statistics, both being shot useless or gang banging at my zone college and never taking the sensible means or the profession path.”
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Jackson admittedly did not get the identical consideration as among the extra outstanding Nashville space highschool soccer gamers. Whereas different native gamers in Jackson’s class acquired presents from larger faculties, packages like Austin Peay, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee State together with Murray State, Samford, UT Martin got here calling for him.
Jackson’s dad, Brian, who nonetheless resides in Chicago, merely advised him he’d simply should work slightly tougher than a few of his friends. In the end Jackson determined to play for Jap Kentucky the place he moved to linebacker. That is when issues actually began to come back collectively.
As a redshirt junior, Jackson began six out of eight video games in 2020 the place he had 79 tackles, and he cemented himself as a professional prospect the next season when he earned the primary of two consecutive All-Atlantic Solar Convention picks. A career-high 102 tackles in 2021 landed Jackson because the Atlantic Solar Convention defensive participant of the yr and Buck Buchanan Award finalist, which is given to prime FCS defensive participant.
The ultimate yr at Jap Kentucky was adequate to realize invitations to varsity all star video games just like the Dream Bowl and the Nationwide Gridiron Showcase. However Jackson was with out an agent since most of them deserted him after he suffered a concussion halfway by means of his senior season.
Native agent Zach Spires, from Aspires Sports activities Administration, came upon about Jackson by means of a consumer named Shedrick Kirk. Jackson and Kirk, who performs for the Nashville Kats Enviornment Soccer workforce, skilled collectively at X3 Efficiency and Bodily Remedy Heart in Nashville.
Jackson’s dad and mom paid for his coaching at X3. His dad, who additionally performed highschool soccer, noticed the imaginative and prescient and saved up cash through the years. Clark took on a second job to assist cowl the bills. X3 was their selection as a result of they wished Jackson to remain near Nashville the place he had a assist system to assist together with his daughter, Summer season, who’s now 3.
Jap Kentucky’s professional day was subsequent, with 12 groups in attendance, none of which had been the Titans. However Titans scouting coordinator Patrick Woo had his eyes on Jackson and helped get him to the workforce’s native professional day. Security coach Scott Booker, who has since moved on to the Buffalo Payments, additionally took curiosity in Jackson.
Regardless of taking part in outdoors linebacker in school, Jackson examined nicely in security drills leading to he, and Colton Dowell, being requested to remain after the professional day to speak with then-coach Mike Vrabel.
The Titans chosen Dowell, a large receiver out of Tennessee-Martin within the seventh spherical, and like Jackson, Dowell attended highschool (Wilson Central) domestically. Jackson signed with the Titans as an undrafted free agent, becoming a member of Jap Kentucky teammate TK McLendon Jr.
“I believe the Titans had been one of the best match, so we bought that deal finished,” Spires advised ESPN. “We had a couple of undrafted free agent contract presents, and the Titans simply wished him to come back to minicamp.”
Native product Matthew Jackson on making the #Titans 53-man roster. pic.twitter.com/jloqJK2qvo
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) August 31, 2023
JACKSON HAS FOND reminiscences from attending Titans video games as a child. He remembers the glory days of Chris Johnson, who turned the sixth participant in NFL historical past to hurry for two,000 yards in a season in 2009, and seeing former 2015 No. 2 decide Marcus Mariota’s profession get off to a scorching begin in Tennessee as nicely. When he was in highschool, Jackson turned a fan of former Titans security Kevin Byard III — who was traded final season to the Philadelphia Eagles — as a result of they performed the identical place.
Earlier than the commerce, Jackson’s locker was straight throughout from Byard. It was an ideal alternative to be taught from among the finest. Byard invited Jackson to coach with Jeremy Holt, of AthElite Efficiency in Nashville, to organize for coaching camp.
The additional work paid off as Jackson secured a spot on the 53-man roster. However cutdown day was a rollercoaster experience.
Jackson was on the rookie lodge when his cellphone rang. A Titans consultant advised him to report back to Vrabel’s workplace. Jackson walked in and Vrabel was sitting there with normal supervisor Ran Carthon.
As a substitute of main off with an announcement like, “You made the workforce,” Carthon and Vrabel identified issues Jackson wanted to work on. At that time, Jackson embraced what would come subsequent — even when that meant he was getting launched. Then they advised him he made the preliminary 53-man roster.
“It was only a dream come true at that time,” Jackson stated.
Jackson performed totally on particular groups and completed with six tackles in 10 video games final season. Getting into Yr 2, Jackson will doubtless work with the second unit at security behind starter Amani Hooker when the Titans report for coaching camp on July 23.
Regardless of transferring to Nashville as a toddler, Jackson stated he “sort of grew up as a Bears fan” as nicely. So slightly additional could also be on the road when the Titans open the season on the Chicago Bears on Sept. 8. “That must be an enormous one,” Jackson stated with a smile.
