Can Calgary Stampeders running back Don Jackson reach star potential?
Summertime means no football in the States–unless you get excited about the pre-season variety–and you have to wait ’til August for that. But football is played all summer north of the border–and it’s regular season football, too.
I’m talking about the Canadian Football League (CFL).
‘Johnny Football,’ Montreal Allouettes (photo, NYPost.com)
And the CFL does more than just provide entertainment. It provides players with an opportunity to reshape their NFL image.
Consider Johnny Manziel, who’s trying to bounce back from off-the-field issues and poor on-the-field performances. Manziel is playing currently with the Montreal Allouettes. And Hall of Famer Terrell Owens made headlines recently when he was seen trying out for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
But the biggest noise this season–a season that already has seven games in the books–is coming out of Calgary where the Stampeders play.
Calgary has an outstanding QB in the person of Levi Mitchell. He’s one of the reasons the Stampeders are undefeated currently. But there’s another player in Calgary who just might become the next face of the franchise–perhaps even the entire CFL.
Don Jackson is his name. Jackson is an American-born running back who grew up in Sacramento, CA. Jackson had an impressive three years at Nevada-Reno, where he racked up 2,368 yards with 19 touchdowns and had a 4.5 yards-per-carry average.
Despite that success, NFL scouts passed on him during the 2016 draft. Jackson signed with the Packers as a free agent, but he played sparingly that fall (in only three games). When the Packers released him in May 2017, Jackson hoped to get a call from at least one other NFL team. He didn’t. That’s when Jackson decided to take his talent to Canada. He signed with Calgary in May 2018.
Don Jackson (photo, Getty Images)
Now he has created a name for himself. Through five games, Jackson has rushed for 442 yards and has a surreal 6.2 yards-per-carry average.
That yardage total puts him fourth in the league–despite the fact that he hasn’t played in all seven games and has an average of forty fewer touches (overall) vis-a-vis the three players who rank ahead of him.
But Jackson just keeps producing. He has eight runs over ten yards and three carries over twenty yards. Being able to run north-south and east-west sets him apart from rivals.
Although five games may be a small sample size, Jackson has shown he understands the offensive flow and defensive strategies that are unique to Canadian football. And being on the best CFL team is a plus. Jackson’s Stampeders are heavy favorites to reach the Grey Cup, which is Canada’s Super Bowl. Team success means an opportunity to play in high-pressure games and get noticed.
Only 24-years-old, Jackson has another three years before he reaches his prime as a running back. If he continues to be productive, then there’s no doubt he’ll become one of the CFL’s best players with the potential to become the face of the league.
Could the NFL come next?
