Lessons on Overcoming Adversity Stick with D'Eryk Jackson

D’Eryk Jackson has never had it easy. He wasn’t the highest-ranked recruit. He had to earn a spot on the Kentucky football roster. Now that he’s tasted some success, he’s playing for someone special this fall.

The Kentucky linebacker is dedicating his 2024 season to Kathy Edmond. His grandmother passed away this spring a few months after she saw him record a team-high 11 tackles and force a fumble against Louisville. That game will always hold a near and dear place in his heart, right where she will be throughout this football season.

“She basically raised me and just being with her all the time, seeing how she fought through a lot of adversity throughout her whole life through sickness and stuff. She always taught me to keep God first and that’s the main thing I keep with me, keeping God first,” Jackson said at SEC Media Days.

“I keep her in my mind every snap this year, every workout, every rep, just keep her in my mind.”

Jackson Consistently Overcomes Obstacles

Fighting through adversity has been a theme throughout his college football journey. Jackson wasn’t even one of the top 100 recruits in his home state of Georgia when he signed with Kentucky. He was the lowest-ranked prospect in the Wildcats’ 2020 recruiting class.

Jon Sumrall saw something in the hard-hitting linebacker’s tape, but he needed to see a little more. Jackson was invited to camp and compete for a chance to receive a scholarship offer.

“Me and my Dad drove up in the middle of that night and came to camp, slept in the car,” said Jackson. “I came out, did good at camp and gave me my offer. I took it and ran with it.”

Jackson ran with it right away, playing in nine of the Wildcats’ 11 games as a true freshman, highlighted by his first career interception against Mississippi State. Following Jamin Davis‘ surprising departure for the NFL, he was next in line to become the Cats’ starting middle linebacker. That’s when adversity struck again.

During spring practice Jackson suffered a torn Achilles. He underwent surgery in April and was not expected to play until the following season. Six months later he was back on the practice field. In the season finale, he led the Cats in tackles during a Governor’s Cup win. A few weeks later he picked off a pass in the Citrus Bowl victory over Iowa.

Throughout his road to recovery, one person continued to inspire him to push through the pain.

“I don’t think it was a challenge for me. It was more of a mindset switch. ‘Okay, I gotta work through this to get through this.’ Going back to my grandma, I seen her go through a lot of stuff. When I talked to her, she was like, ‘You know what you gotta do.’ I prayed and got back right,” said Jackson.

Known by his teammates simply as D-Jack, the afterthought in the 2020 recruiting class has started in 21 straight games and led Kentucky in tackles in back-to-back seasons. Despite injuries and transfer portal additions at his position, he’s persevered and is now poised for his best season yet as a Wildcat.

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