Indianapolis, IN.- The NFL Combine is the cornucopia of the most elite college football prospects in the Country, as they prepare to take their talents to the professional level. It’s the culmination of the dream first formed as a young child as they look upon their television screen wide eyed one Sunday afternoon and say “That’ll be me one day.”

From that moment on, young athletes across the country will rise through the ranks of Pop-Warner ball before embarking upon the Friday Night Lights of High school football until they finally step onto their College campus for the first time.

That’s a good summary for most student-athletes, but not all.

Back in 2019, Darrell Jackson was just another student at Gadsden County High School in Havana, FL. getting ready to make the most influential decision in his life. Jackson, an 11th grade student, would be trying out for his school’s football team despite not having any prior experience playing the game, or any sports for that matter. His only introduction to the game of football: his uncle Dexter Jackson, a star defensive back for Florida State from 1995-98 who’d go onto win Super Bowl XXXVII MVP in 2003.

Despite the belief in his head that he’d be the Gadsden County Jaguars’ starting Quarterback, the 190-pound Darrell Jackson would be lining up in a 3-point-stance as a Defensive Tackle. Fast forward to his senior season in 2020, Darrell Jackson was a consensus 3-Star prospect and a top 50 prospect at his position after recording 23 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup during his 7 game senior campaign.

“When I first started I didn’t even know how to get in the stance…I thought I was going to play Quarterback, but my coach put me at D-Tackle..My first time getting in the stance, it was kind of hard for me. I really didn’t know the style of Defensive Tackle, but over the years I continued to watch the game and develop that mindset as a D-Lineman, that’s what helped me.”” Jackson reflected at NFL Combine Media Day. “My eleventh grade year I used to walk around at 190-something going ‘I’m going D1’…I always believed in myself.”

Jackson stood at 5 Division I Offers before ultimately committing to Maryland. Darrell would appear in all 13 games of his true freshman season with the Terps, before transferring to Miami, where he’d start in every game with the Hurricanes.

Darrell Jackson would enter the Transfer Portal one final time, taking his talents to Tallahassee in 2023, finding a forever home with the Florida State Seminoles. The NCAA forced Darrell Jackson to be sidelined during the 2023 season due to the transfer rules at the time, but would record 32 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one pass breakup and one forced fumble in 2024 and 45 tackles with 3.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack this past season.

As we look ahead, that former 190-pound eleventh grader with a dream from Havana,FL. is just a few weeks away from hearing his name called during the 2026 NFL Draft. When asked about the road less traveled he embarked on, and the advice he’d instill into a younger self, Darrell Jackson had this to say:

“Continue to fuel that hunger in you…Continue to keep that dog mentality in you..Go out and work everyday.”