Shedrick Jackson senior spotlight

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Shedrick Jackson senior spotlight: ‘Lead from the front'

Auburn University Athletics

5-7 minutes

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AUBURN, Ala. – Wide receiver Shedrick Jackson is no stranger to the Auburn Family. The fifth-year senior is hoping to continue making a name for himself with his veteran presence on the team. Even though Jackson is the nephew of Auburn legend and 1985 Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson, he has worked hard to leave his own legacy at Auburn.

Jackson was part of Auburn’s 2018 recruiting class that included fellow wide receivers Seth Williams and Matthew Hill. Jackson was an important component in Auburn's offense from the second he stepped onto the field in 2018. He was a true freshman who got his first playing time against Washington in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta. His first start came three weeks later against Arkansas.

Four seasons have passed since then, and Jackson has made a name for himself. This past year, 2021, was a breakout season for the wide receiver out of Hoover, Alabama. He played in all 13 games and set career highs with 40 receptions, 527 yards and one touchdown.

By now, his teammates and coaches know exactly what they are getting from Shedrick Jackson.

“Describe myself in three words? I would say disciplined, calm, and prepared,” he said. 

Those traits have served Jackson well over the past 18 months as he and his teammates not only had to navigate the challenges of a pandemic but also the challenges that come with a coaching change. As a senior, it can be a daunting task to adjust to a completely new coaching style, but now that he’s been able to fully absorb the changes, he is confident he can continue his success on the field.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA granted an additional year of eligibility to collegiate athletes who participated in the 2020 season. Jackson opted to take advantage of that extra opportunity and return to Auburn for a fifth season.

“There were a lot of different things, but the main thing was coming back, trying to win and have a successful season, especially after I’m seeing the pieces that are falling into place,” Jackson said on his decision to return. “Individually, I just want to continue getting better and do some big things this season.”

In the not-so-distant future, Jackson sees himself playing in the NFL and “hopefully winning a Super Bowl.” But those dreams will have to wait. As a fifth-year senior, he’s a leader for this Auburn team, and his goals reflect that.

“I want to lead the wide receiver room and just make sure we’re all getting better collectively,” Jackson said. “Then I want to make sure that I’m bettering myself so that I can lead from the front at all times – just have a big year, make big plays, and do special things.”

Jackson also knows the importance of a college degree. Since he has been at Auburn, his proudest accomplishment has been graduating from Auburn because "it will set me up for a lot of other opportunities.”

“Even though football is what I do and what I want to do for a living, that diploma is something nobody can take away from me,” added Jackson, who graduated last August.

Football will always be one of Jackson’s first loves, though. At the age of 5, he saw his friends playing and knew it was something he wanted to get involved in himself. He started playing back then and hopes to continue playing until he has a chance to play in the Super Bowl. 

For Jackson, his drive and biggest motivation comes from his mother, Laquesha Sanders. Seeing how hard she worked for him and his brothers, it inspires him to be great.

There are so many things Jackson is still hoping to achieve before his time is up at Auburn and even after he leaves Auburn, but if he could go back and tell his younger self one thing, it would be to “learn everything I can about whatever it is, whether it’s sports or what’s going on in the world around me – just learn everything that I can.”

Outside of football, Jackson enjoys hanging out with his friends. He recently got a dog and he’s been spending a lot of his free time training the dog and taking him on walks. He’s a graduate of the Harbert College of Business and is completing an additional degree. 

Before he leaves, Jackson wants the Auburn Family to know him as more than just a football player.

“I hope they know me for being a guy that worked hard and cared about more than just winning,” he said. “I cared about the people around me and did everything that I could to make sure that the team was successful."

The phrase ‘War Eagle’ is Auburn’s battle cry. It can be used as a greeting or salutation among the Auburn Family. But to Jackson, it’s special because it embodies what Auburn is and that “Auburn Family feel.”

“No matter where you go, if you see somebody wearing an Auburn logo you tell them ‘War Eagle,’ and it’s a different type of language. It’s special,” he said.

Morgyn Jones is a student worker in Auburn Athletics media relations

[AuburnNTexas 7,317]

He is the embodiment of what it means to be an Auburn man. He was not highly rated out of HS as a WR but found a niche because he was willing to do the dirty work of blocking that was a mainstay for a WR in a Gus offense. He slowly improved his receiving skills till he was one of our top receivers last year. He apparently has really worked on his speed as that was not originally considered one of his strength's but according to some other players he is now one of the fastest players on the team. He did all this while getting a degree and now is working on a second degree. On top of that I have never heard anything but good comments on different boards about what a fine person he is.