Former Virginia linebacker Nick Jackson commits to Iowa

IOWA CITY — Former Virginia linebacker Nick Jackson has committed to Iowa via the transfer portal, he announced Wednesday evening on Twitter.

Jackson led the ACC with 10.4 tackles per game and had five sacks in Virginia’s shortened 10-game 2022 schedule.

He has received either second or third-team all-ACC honors in the last three seasons and was a captain for the Cavaliers in the last two seasons.

The 6-foot-1, 235-pound linebacker will have an opportunity to make an immediate impact on a linebacker corps that is losing three starting-caliber linebackers -- Jack Campbell and Seth Benson via graduation and Jestin Jacobs via the transfer portal.

If Jackson plays middle linebacker at Iowa, like he did at Virginia, he will be taking over for one of Iowa’s best defensive players in the Kirk Ferentz era. Campbell was Iowa’s first-ever recipient of the Butkus Award, which goes to the top linebacker in the country.

With 2,305 career defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, Jackson will be Iowa’s most experienced linebacker in 2022 by a wide margin. Jay Higgins, the only other Iowa linebacker to start a game, has taken 267 career defensive snaps.

Jackson has one year of eligibility remaining.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com