Nick Saban discusses what he appreciated most about former Alabama S Eddie Jackson

Former Alabama S Eddie Jackson was selected by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round (pick No. 112 overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft coming off a season in which he missed the last seven games with a broken leg.

Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban thinks the Bears got a steal with Jackson falling so far, as the former Alabama captain couldn’t work out at the NFL Combine due to the injury.

Saban told the Chicago Tribune that he loved having Jackson in Tuscaloosa, where the star safety became a leader on the team even after his injury:

“I guess you’ve got to know the background,” he said. “Eddie came from a tough spot down in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area (Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.). I probably am as proud of where he started and where he finished as anyone that we’ve ever had on our team. The guy really became a leader of the team, selected as a captain even though he didn’t play in the last seven games because of injury (broken left leg). It speaks volumes for how his teammates view him from a character standpoint, a leadership standpoint, setting a good example, being somebody that somebody can emulate, caring enough about other people to help and serve them.

“I mean, these are things that you didn’t see at all when he was coming out of high school. They just blossomed. The guy graduated. He was an A-plus in every regard in our program. I hated for him that he had a little bad luck with the injury this year. But I certainly think (the Bears) got him at a value, probably, because of that.”

Jackson will attempt to help a maligned Bears’ defense this season. He could also see some time returning kicks and punts — something he excelled at during his time at Alabama.

Adam Spencer

Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.