Brandon Jackson life and biography

Brandon Jackson is an American football running back for the Green Bay Packers of the NFL.

Highlights:

• Has played in 25 games over the past two seasons as a third-down back, developing into one of the team’s most reliable pass protectors in the backfield.
• In 2009, scored three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) in Week 16 win vs. Seattle, becoming one of only two Packers to post both a rushing and receiving TD on the season (John Kuhn).
• His 5.5 yards-per-carry average in 2008 tied for fifth in the NFL among players with at least 45 carries.
• Became a feature back the final nine games of 2006 at Nebraska, gaining 835 yards for an average of 93 yards per game as a starter.
• Highest-drafted running back from Nebraska since Lawrence Phillips was a first-round pick by the Rams in 1996.

PRO CAREER:
Fourth-year pro who seems to have found a niche as a third-down back, developing into one of the team’s best pass protectors out of the backfield... Ironically, his initial struggles in training camp as a rookie came with blitz pick-ups, but has worked tirelessly to hone his skills there... Remains a viable backup to Ryan Grant, having posted 626 yards rushing and 502 yards receiving, with five total touchdowns, in his three-year career... Has shown notable productivity at different times each year – in 2009, scoring a career-best three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) in playoff-clinching win vs. Seattle in Week 16; in 2008, averaging 5.5 yards per rush in his limited carries, tied for fifth in the NFL among backs with at least 45 attempts; and in 2007, posting a 100-yard rushing performance in the regular-season finale vs. Detroit (20 carries, 113 yards)... Began his rookie campaign as the starter in an injury-depleted backfield, learning the NFL game on the fly and taking nearly all the snaps in training camp as the No. 1 back... One month into the regular season, missed some time with injury and spent the rest of the year improving in all areas, particularly blocking and blitz pick-up, to become Grant’s primary backup... Also began playing special teams for the first time in his life and adapted well... An early entry in the draft, played three seasons at Nebraska in a tailback rotation, emerging as the team’s feature back the final nine games of his junior season, gaining 835 yards in those nine contests, an average of 92.8 yards per game as a starter... Overcame injuries to both shoulders, one that limited him to just 18 carries as a sophomore in 2005.

2009:
Played in 12 games and rushed for 111 yards and a career-high two TDs on 37 carries (3.0 avg.)...Finished second among RBs with 187 receiving yards and a TD on 21 catches (8.9 avg.)...One of only two players (John Kuhn) on the team to post a rushing and a receiving TD on the season...Inactive for first four games due to sprained ankle suffered during preseason game at Arizona (Aug. 28)... Vs. Detroit (Oct. 18): Made season debut, posting 6 yards rushing on two carries as third-down back, along with a 12-yard reception in the third quarter... At Cleveland (Oct. 25): Rushed for season-high 31 yards on nine carries (3.4 avg.), including 9-yard pickup late in the fourth quarter. Also handled kick-return duties, posting two returns for 36 yards (18.0 avg.)... Vs. San Francisco (11/22): Matched career high with six catches for a career-best 65 yards, becoming the first Packers RB since Noah Herron (Nov. 5, 2006) to post four 10-yard receptions in a game. Had a 16-yard catch on a 3rd-and-11 in the second quarter to keep a TD drive alive, and had another 16-yard reception later in the half to help set up a Mason Crosby FG. Also had a game-long 8-yard run on Green Bay’s final drive to put the Packers at third-and-1 at midfield; QB Aaron Rodgers picked up a first down on a sneak on the next play to put the game away...Vs. Baltimore (Dec. 7): Caught two passes for 14 yards, including a 10-yard reception to convert a third down on the Packers’ opening drive that was capped off with a 28-yard FG... At Pittsburgh (Dec. 20): Caught one pass for 4 yards, had a 1-yard run, and was noted by the coaching staff for an outstanding effort in pass protection against the Steelers’ blitzes, as Rodgers was only sacked one time all game on his way to 383 passing yards and three TDs... Vs. Seattle (Dec. 27): Posted a career-high two rushing TDs and scored a third time on a reception, making him the first Packer since RB Samkon Gado (at Atlanta, Nov. 13, 2005) to score three times in a regular-season game.

2008:
Played in 13 games as the No. 2 back and finished second on the team with 248 yards and a TD on 45 carries (5.5 avg.)... Led the running backs and was fifth on the team with 30 receptions for 185 yards... Inactive at Seattle (Oct. 12) after coming down with flu-like symptoms the night before the game, and inactive for final two games, at Chicago (Dec. 22) and vs. Detroit (Dec. 28), due to wrist injury sustained at Jacksonville (Dec. 14)... At Detroit (Sept. 14): Led team with 61 yards rushing on seven carries (8.7 avg.), including a 19-yard TD run late in the fourth quarter to put the Packers up 34-25... Vs. Atlanta (Oct. 5): Led the team with five receptions, and added 11 yards on two carries. Also made a special teams tackle... Vs. Indianapolis (Oct. 19): Led team with season- and career-high six receptions for 37 yards, three of which went for first downs... Vs. Chicago (Nov. 16): Posted 50 yards rushing on 10 carries, including a 19-yard pickup in fourth quarter. Came in game in the second quarter when Grant left briefly after having wind knocked out of him, and carried the ball five straight times for 30 yards.

2007:
Second-round pick out of Nebraska, played in 11 games and was inactive for five... Played in both playoff contests... Started the first three games, then was inactive for the next four (shin); returned to action at Kansas City (Nov. 4), and had played primarily on special teams before posting his first NFL 100-yard game vs. Detroit (Dec. 30)... Finished second on the team with 75 rushes for 267 yards and one TD... Had initially received more time at running back than any other Packers player after projected starter Vernand Morency missed most of training camp with a patellar tendon injury... Led the team in rushing during the preseason, carrying 40 times for 131 yards and two TDs... Did not play at Tennessee (Aug. 30) after suffering a mild concussion in practice on Aug. 26... Returned to practice Sept. 2... Vs. Philadelphia (Sept. 9): Started in his first NFL game, rushing 15 times for 40 yards and catching four passes for 35 yards. With under a minute left in the game, made a 7-yard carry that helped move the team closer to an eventual 42-yard, game-winning FG by Crosby.

COLLEGE:
An early entry in the draft, played three seasons at Nebraska in a tailback rotation, emerging as the team’s feature back the final nine games of his junior season, gaining 835 yards in those contests, an average of 92.8 yards per game as a starter... For his career at Nebraska, played in 33 games with 11 starts and rushed 291 times for 1,431 yards (4.9 avg.) and 14 TDs... Also caught 34 passes for 318 yards (9.4 avg.) and two TDs and returned 32 kickoffs for 579 yards (18.1 avg.), totaling 2,328 all-purpose yards... Overcame injuries to both shoulders, one that limited him to just 18 carries as a sophomore in 2005... Majored in sociology... Junior season (2006): Recovered from offseason shoulder surgery, the second of his college career, to earn first-team All-Big 12 honors from The Associated Press, San Antonio Express-News and Houston Chronicle, adding second-team honors from the league’s coaches, Kansas City Star, Dallas Morning News and Fort Worth Star-Telegram... Also was member of the 2006 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team... Amassed 1,459 all-purpose yards, third in the conference with an average of 104.2 per game... Posted 989 rushing yards, good for fifth in the conference and eight TDs on 188 carries (5.3 avg.)... Also caught 33 passes for 313 yards (9.5 avg.) and two TDs... Spent the first five games as a reserve at I-back, carrying the ball just 27 times for 154 yards, before taking over as the starter for final nine games... Rushed for 835 of his 989 yards as a starter and posted four 100-yard games... Registered a career-high 182 rushing yards and two TDs on 21 carries (8.7 avg.) at Oklahoma State (Oct. 28)... Sophomore season (2005): Saw limited action in nine games as he continued to struggle with shoulder injury that he had surgery on that April... Rushed 18 times for 52 yards (2.9 avg.), plus one catch for 5 yards... Freshman season (2004): Played in 10 games as a true freshman in a reserve role but quickly established himself as a multiple threat... Ranked second on the team with 85 carries for 390 yards (4.6 avg.) and six TDs... Ranked fifth in the Big 12 with a 21.1-yard average on kickoff returns (17 for 359 yards)... Picked up 79 yards rushing on 13 carries in his collegiate debut vs. Western Illinois (Sept. 4), the most by a Husker true freshman since at least 1973... Racked up 247 all-purpose yards vs. Baylor (Oct. 16), the 11th most in school history and second-best ever by a Nebraska freshman... Became the first Nebraska signee from Mississippi since RB Correll Buckhalter in 1997, choosing the school over offers from Mississippi State and Memphis.

PERSONAL:
Born Brandon Lamar Jackson and nicknamed B.J.. Married to Brandy... Has a son, Brandon, 8, and a daughter, Braylyn, 2... Late father, Charles, played basketball at a small Arkansas college; died when Jackson was 10, the result of a car accident that had paralyzed him four years earlier.
High school: Was chosen as the Class 5A (largest class) Offensive Player of the Year by the Mississippi Coaches Association two straight years at Horn Lake High... Was also an all-region and all-state selection... Named to the Dandy Dozen by the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, signifying the top 12 players in the state of Mississippi... Also received All-Metro honors in the Memphis area his junior and senior years, and was Horn Lake’s MVP as a senior... Played in the Mississippi-Alabama all-star game... Rushed for 1,200 yards and 11 TDs in 2003, helping his team to a 6-6 record and a trip to the second round of the Class 5A playoffs... Also had 200 receiving yards and one TD catch... As a junior, rushed for 1,783 yards and 28 TDs and made 20 catches for 200 yards and two TDs, leading his team to a 10-3 record and a second-round playoff appearance... A four-time letterman in track, posted a career-best of 10.6 seconds in the 100-meter dash... Finished sixth at state in the 100 as a senior while helping the 4x200-meter relay team place third and the 4x100 relay take fourth... Was part of the 4x400-meter relay team that placed second at state his junior year... Also lettered in basketball and powerlifting... Community involvement: Has visited with kids and their mentors in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program at a ‘Lunch With Santa’ event over the holidays and has visited teens staying at the Rawhide Boys Ranch in New London, Wis. ... Received the ‘Nice Guy Award’ at the annual Doug Jirschele Sports Banquet in Clintonville, Wis., this past May... Helped coach attendees at a local Oneida Nation football skills clinic... Spoke to students at an all-school assembly at Park Elementary School in Marinette, Wis. about what it takes to succeed in life and the importance of hard work and teamwork... Has helped raise funds for the American Red Cross... Participated regularly in the Edgar Bennett Celebrity Bowl-A-Thon and Donald Driver Celebrity Softball Game... Spent his college summers at Pacific Palace in Lincoln, Neb., working with disadvantaged kids.

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