Louisville Kings coach Chris Redman and wide receiver Lucky Jackson met with the media on Wednesday afternoon to provide an update on how training camp is progressing.
Jackson, a former D.C. Defenders All-XFL star, most recently played for the Minnesota Vikings.
During his time with Minnesota, Jackson was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster on January 6, 2024. In addition to appearing in three regular-season games for the Vikings, when Justin Jefferson injured his hamstring during training camp, it was Jackson who took most of his reps in practice.
At the time, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said, "I think it shows a lot that he can step in for [Jefferson] in many ways and take the positional reps that Justin would be taking.” Pointing out that this was an indication of the coaching staff's trust in him, he continued, ”This is a guy that does everything the right way… doing everything in his control to become the best player he can become.”
Jackson’s Early Background
A Lexington native who played college ball at Western Kentucky, Jackson is excited to return home to play for the Kings. In addition to playing before family and friends from the Lexington area, he’ll undoubtedly attract plenty of local fans who remember him as a Western Kentucky standout.
As a sophomore, Jackson caught a 93-yard pass that set a record for the longest touchdown reception that still stands today. As a senior, he led the team with 94 catches for 1,133 yards and four touchdowns. Jackson’s 94 receptions are the second-most in WKU program history.
The Kings' Training Camp Experience
Stating the team is off to a great start, Jackson talked about the highly competitive atmosphere at camp with players who are focused on making it to the next level. Despite the competition, there’s a real sense of camaraderie in the locker room. “We’re all on the same page. We all have a common goal. We want to win. We want to get to that next level, so it takes us to come together and really get this thing going.”
Having played with top NFL quarterbacks in the NFL, Sam Darnold and Kirk Cousins, Jackson was also full of praise for Jason Bean's decision-making and processing skills. Clearly impressed by what he's seen in camp, Jackson feels like Bean has what it takes to be a successful UFL quarterback.
Jackson has a well-deserved reputation for a tremendous personal work ethic. His former NFL teammate, Pro Bowl cornerback Byron Murphy, Jr., said, “That’s one of my favorite receivers we have on this team. He’s one of the hardest workers. He's one of the receivers – you know, when you line up, you know he's gonna give you some stuff off the line, all those things; very detailed in his routes. So I'd just say he's a very special receiver.”
Jackson credits a former coach for how he approaches his daily professional discipline. Explaining that his coach once told him, “How you do one thing is how you do everything.”
Jackson takes that credo to heart. Knowing what’s expected of him in football, he makes sure to check all the boxes in every aspect of his daily discipline. Jackson knows how to work on his body and how to rehab it. But he also applies it to other areas of his life to help him be the best man that he can be.
What Jackson Learned From His Time in the NFL
Asked how his time with the Vikings helped shape him into the professional he is today, Jackson responded that it helped him a great deal in terms of becoming a student of the game. Explaining how he learned to slow the game down, he began reading defenses and viewing plays from the lens of a quarterback as opposed to simply running routes.
Describing the other players as students of the game, Jackson said they pick the coaches' brains, show up early for meetings, and are willing to do what it takes to get better.
When asked if there was anything that surprised him about the Kings' training camp, Jackson laughed and said, “How much fun I would have.” Admitting that even with his worker mentality, he’s having a blast, just flying around, playing ball, and developing relationships with the other guys.
It's obvious from hearing Lucky Jackson talk that he's a player who will be a terrific presence for Louisville, both on and off the field. When asked if there's anything he's doing differently this year than in the past, Jackson responded, "Just diving more into my faith and trusting the process."
Given how well Jackson's done thus far in his career, it feels like he has a lot more success ahead of him.