2/8/2023 football Edit

COMMITMENT: Iowa Adds All-ACC Linebacker Nick Jackson

Former Virginia linebacker Nick Jackson announced his decision to commit to Iowa out of the transfer portal ________. (UVA Athletics | Matt Riley)

Eliot Clough • Go Iowa Awesome

Recruiting Analyst

A former Northern Iowa basketball and football Insider for Townsquare Media, Eliot joins the team as Go Iowa Awesome's new recruiting analyst. He brings experience and know-how for recruit evaluation.

On Wednesday Nick Jackson, former Virginia linebacker announced on Twitter that he will transfer to the University of Iowa for his final year of collegiate eligibility.

The Atlanta, Ga. native played significant time in each of his four years with the Cavaliers, playing in 46 games and starting 33. Over the last three seasons, he led UVA’s defense in tackles, earning third-team All-ACC in 2020 and second-team in 2021 and 2022. During his tenure at Virginia, he posted 354 tackles (11th in school history), 20 TFL, 10.5 sacks, and eight PBU.

Jackson loves to tackle and has been a sideline-to-sideline presence for UVA over the last four years. The 6'1, 235-pound linebacker excels in pursuit and plugging running lanes, and he is capable of handling his assignment in coverage with speed most opposing linebackers don't possess.

He is expected to fill an enormous void in the middle of the Hawkeye defense left by Dick Butkus award winner, Jack Campbell. Campbell led Iowa in tackling the last two seasons and is a near-certainty to be selected in the 2023 NFL Draft.

In addition to visiting Iowa City during his transfer recruitment, the newest Hawkeye made stops at Auburn, Oklahoma and LSU before choosing Iowa. Unlike the other three programs, the Hawkeyes recruited and offered the former three-star recruit out of high school.

Jackson is the ninth player the Hawkeyes have added via the transfer portal this offseason. He is the first on the defensive side of the ball to transfer to Iowa.