By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Nick Jackson is everything that is good about the transfer portal.

The sixth-year linebacker on the Iowa football team gave his heart, soul and body to the Virginia football team for four seasons.

Jackson represented the Cavaliers with class and with high character, and was a force on the field, compiling three 100-plus tackle seasons and earning second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference in 2022.

But then tragedy struck the Virginia football program in mid-November 2022 when three Virginia football players were shot and killed after returning to campus from a field trip.

The shootings reportedly took place on a charter bus and the gunman had been a member of the Virginia football team in 2018.

Jackson was nearing the end of his fourth season at Virginia when the shooting occurred, and was on course to graduate.

He had fulfilled his obligations, on and off the field, and he would ultimately decide that he wanted to try something different as a football player.

So, Jackson entered the transfer portal as a graduate student and would eventually pick Iowa over Oklahoma.

There is always a risk when transferring from one program to another, especially late in a career. But in Jackson’s case, he has fit perfectly with the Iowa culture under Kirk Ferentz, and with Phil Parker’s defense.

You almost forget that Jackson played for another school for four years, because as a Hawkeye, he has made fitting in look so easy, on and off the field.

He and Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins didn’t even know each other two years ago, but now they’re life-long best friends

Jackson was asked on Tuesday why he thinks he has fit in so well at Iowa?

“I think it’s just honestly from my official visit, the culture is very similar to the culture at Virginia, and it’s very similar to the morals that have been instilled in me by my my parents,” Jackson said. “And I think that ultimately coach Ferentz is an unbelievable guy, an unbelievable man. And what he’s built here in this program, it’s just been awesome. As soon as you walk into it, he treats us like men. And at the end of the day, that’s all you can ask for.”

As for on the field, Jackson been really good there, too, as a starter from day one last season.

Jackson came to Iowa thinking he had one year to play, but this past January he was granted an NCAA waiver for a sixth year

The waiver was granted because his senior year at Virginia in 2022 was cut short by the shootings.

But now the end is finally approaching for Jackson, who ranks second in NCAA history with 540 career tackles.

There is no next season for the Atlanta, Georgia native.

This is it.

“I’ve been able to wrap my head around it. It’s time guys, I’m finally done,” Jackson said to the media on Tuesday. “There’s nothing left in the tank.

“But it’s been awesome. It’s kind of one of those things where you don’t want to look back at it, but you know it’s coming up to an end. I’m grateful for it. I’m grateful for the memories. But you win these last two and the bowl game, you want to finish strong. So, you want to leave on a positive note and just attack it and give this program everything because this program has given everything to me.”

That statement helps to explain why Nick Jackson has fit so perfectly with Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa players.

Jackson is a team-first guy, while Iowa is a team-first program.

The best way to succeed at Iowa is to check your ego at the door and put your head down and work hard.

Individual glory and success is certainly an important part of it, but the team always comes first, and that’s just fine with Jackson.

He just appreciates the opportunity that has been given to him.

From those dark November days in 2022 in the wake of tragedy, to now being a Hawkeye for nearly two seasons, Jackson feels fortunate to be ending his career under much happier circumstances.

“Honestly, I thought my college career was done after my tenth game at Virginia,” Jackson said. “It’s kind of one of those things where it’s bittersweet. But this time, it’s actually done guys. I keep telling my parents, hey, we’re not playing in college next year. But it’s awesome. College football is one of those things you can’t even dream of when you’re a kid. You dream of it, but you still don’t know how amazing it is. So, it’s one of those things that’s special and you attack and you look forward to every moment.

“Like in the locker room, I soak it in. I’m probably the last one out every single day just soaking it in and enjoying the locker room because it’s a special place. It’s a special sport. And it’s just the ultimate team sport. The things that you go through with your brothers out here you wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

This season hasn’t gone the way Jackson would have hoped with Iowa just 6-4 overall heading into Saturday’s game at Maryland.

But if there is anybody who can put disappointment in perspective, it’s Nick Jackson after what he has been through.

Iowa still has a chance to win as many as nine games, and to win a bowl game.

Jackson also has a chance to become the NCAA’s all-time leader in tackles as he currently needs 37 to tie for first.

He just recently passed former Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly for second place, though, Jackson was quick to put an asterisk on it when talking to the media.

“The crazy part of it is he did it in three years,” Jackson said of Kuechly. “So, when you think about that, you’re like, yeah, you’re not there yet. So put a little asterisk next to my name.”

Humility is another reason Jackson has fit in so well at Iowa.

Instead of being jealous of Jay Higgins’ rise to stardom, Jackson has embraced it and thrived as his sidekick at linebacker.

Together, they have formed the most productive linebacker tandem at the FBS level since the start of last season.

Jackson credits much of his success to Iowa Assistant Head Coach Seth Wallace, who also coaches the linebackers.

“I love coach Wallace,” Jackson said. “He pushes me every single day. He’s on me, but it’s out of love. So, when you have that ultimate respect for someone, that he can get on me and say whatever he needs to say to me however he wants to say it to me. It’s out of love and it’s out of respect, and just having him has been really special.

“I’ve grown so much from these guys. I mean between coach Ferentz, coach Parker and coach Wallace and all the coaches and the coaching staff in the weight room, what they’ve poured into me and I’ve just poured back to them. It’s a mutual respect. It’s a special spot.”

Talk to one of Jackson’s Iowa teammates about him and they all say almost the same thing: great player, better person.

Kirk Ferentz also has raved about Jackson the player, and the person, ever since Jackson arrived in 2023.

“Pretty much like what we had hoped for. He’s just a really mature guy and operates at a high level,” Ferentz said.

Ferentz made those comments shortly after Jackson had joined the team last August, and their relationship has only grown stronger.

“He has impacted my life in so many ways,” Jackson said. “Just the way he treats people and the way he leads young men. You want to make him proud.”

Jackson often mentions his parents when being interviewed by the media because they have been with him very step of the way on this six-year journey through two colleges.

His father, Doug Jackson, has kept close track of his son’s pursuit of the all-time tackles record.

“He lets me know where I’m at,” Nick Jackson said of his father. “God bless him. He’s excited. He loves it.

“But coach Wallace always says, if you hang around long enough you get to break some records.”

Jackson knows how to take a joke. Sometimes, he comes off as being self-deprecating, and that would certainly fit with Kirk Ferentz since he is the same way.

The transfer portal has faced criticism for helping to turn college sports into free agency with so many players going to the highest bidder for enormous amounts of cash.

And while NIL money probably helped to convince Jackson to be a Hawkeye, it seems unlikely that it was the driving force.

It has been reported that some members of the Iowa defense turned down more lucrative NIL deals to stay at Iowa.

It would hardly be a surprise if Jackson was one of them.

Of course, Jackson is motivated by money, as is everybody.

But being a Hawkeye is more than just transactional to him.

It’s a privilege that Jackson embraces each and every day.