The 2024 Senior Bowl will provide an opportunity for NFL draft prospects to prove themselves on the largest pre-draft stage. Tulane wide receiver Jha’Quan Jackson plans on taking full advantage. Jackson recently spoke exclusively with the Senior Bowl and Draft Network to discuss his motivation for accepting his invitation to compete in Mobile, Alabama.
Jackson also discussed what he's striving to prove to NFL general managers and scouts in attendance at the Senior Bowl, his dynamic ability on special teams, route running, how he’d write his own scouting report, and more. Let's get to know Jackson better ahead of his journey to the Senior Bowl.
JM: Where were you when you found out about your Senior Bowl invite and what was your initial reaction?
Jha’Quan Jackson: I was at my house. I remember walking down the stairs the moment it happened. It was crazy. I had my phone in my hands and Michael Pratt called me and asked if I had a second to chat. He clicked over to the other line and Jim Nagy joined a three-way call (laughs).
Jim introduced himself and told me he appreciated that I took a long road to get here. I had been on the Senior Bowl’s radar for quite some time. Nagy told me he loves my game. I was so appreciative. It’s truly a blessing from the man above. I put the hard work in.
Tulane didn’t win the AAC Championship Game like we planned to, but we always showed improvement. Nagy was talking about how Michael Pratt and I are going to kill it together at the Senior Bowl. We joked about making sure Pratt realizes there are other receivers there so he doesn’t throw me the ball too much (laughs).
JM: That sounds like it was an incredible moment. What motivated you to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer?
Jha’Quan Jackson: My roommate last season was Tyjae Spears. We were teammates and roommates for four seasons, from the beginning of our college careers. I saw him go through the Senior Bowl experience.
Tyjae Spears had so much success at the Senior Bowl. He loved that entire week. He spoke so highly of Jim Nagy and his entire staff. One of my goals this season was to receive that Senior Bowl invite. Accepting it was a no-brainer. It’s another opportunity for me to play alongside Michael Pratt.
JM: Both you and Michael Pratt are going to look great in Mobile. What are you hoping to prove to NFL general managers, coaching staffs, and scouts in attendance in Mobile?
Jha’Quan Jackson: I’m going to play my brand of football. Of course, they already know I can play football at a high level. I don’t have to do anything outside the norm to prove myself. I’m going to be myself and do what I do best. I always say pressure breaks pipes. I’m never under pressure. I’m built for this. It’s already written.
JM: We love your confidence. So if you were writing your own scouting report, how would you describe your skill set in your own words? Self-scout yourself.
Jha’Quan Jackson: I’m a dynamic player. I make something special happen when I get the ball in space. Of course, I always have room to improve as well. I’m still perfecting my craft as a route runner. There are a lot of different ways to run routes. It’s not always perfect and sharp. I’m looking forward to testing myself against man coverage at the Senior Bowl.
I need to work on my blocking as well. I need to get in front of my target. Thankfully, that can change. I will improve as a blocker as time goes by. I just need more reps.
I have great hands. I can go up and make those contested catches.
JM: Speaking of routes, does Jha’Quan have a favorite route to run?
Jha’Quan Jackson: No sir, I really don’t. Whatever the coach calls and schemes up, that’s what I’m going to execute. I just want to get the ball in space. If I had to pick a route though, I’d say an option route or a high-five route.
JM: If you had to compare yourself to a current NFL receiver or special teams returner, who would you choose and why?
Jha’Quan Jackson: That’s a great question. You have a lot of great special teams returners in the league right now. I would probably say KaVontae Turpin or Derius Davis. As far as receivers go, I’d probably say Zay Flowers. Seeing what he can do, I think it compares to what I do when I get the ball in my hands.
I have another level I have to tap into. Of course, Flowers is more advanced than I am right now. I played quarterback in high school. I made the transition to wide receiver. I’m still honing my craft. I have a lot more to explore. Once I get to that level, I’m going to be extremely dynamic.
JM: You’re dynamic on special teams. In five years at Tulane, you totaled 734 yards as a kick returner, and 664 yards and a touchdown as a punt returner. Do you hope to keep playing special teams at the next level?
Jha’Quan Jackson: I had four outstanding special teams coaches throughout my time at Tulane. Chris Couch and Robby Discher were two of them. This past year, it was coach Greg McMahon, who won a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints and a National Championship with LSU.
Every special teams coach that I played for, it was a similar scheme with different lingo. It was all about learning different ways and techniques. From my perspective, I sat in on every special teams meeting even when I wasn’t playing special teams. I wanted to understand what the punt team was doing even when I wasn’t on it.
I always try to stay ahead. I would pay close attention to the opposing team's punter, what his hangtime was and so on. What are the tendencies? Do they kick to the left or to the right? Watching film is a big thing for me.
I fielded punts from Thomas Morstead when he was playing for the Saints. I caught punts from Blake Gillikin, who plays for the Arizona Cardinals now. Coach Willie Fritz always encourages me to stay a step ahead of myself. I’ve always put the work in. Being a great special teams player is all about muscle memory and making the right decisions.
JM: You have every trait necessary to be an outstanding special teams player at the next level. Here’s another fun fact about Jha’Quan Jackson. Ed Reed is your uncle! That’s pretty awesome. What’s the best piece of advice he’s ever given you?
Jha’Quan Jackson: That’s crazy, isn’t it? (laughs). Ed Reed came to my Senior Night game about one month ago. They put it on Twitter. The fans didn’t know that Ed Reed was my uncle. We got together for my high school’s rivalry game back home as well.
We were talking about different agencies and how to go about the pre-draft process. He helped me identify the right moves for me. He encouraged me to follow my heart and to be myself. He was honest. He told me he couldn’t make the decision for me. He’s retired, but he connected me with the right people.
We probably talk once a week. I try not to bother him too much. I hit him up for advice sometimes. He’s very humble.
JM: We love that. What’s on Jha’Quan Jackson’s pre-game playlist?
Jha’Quan Jackson: I wake up in the morning and say my prayers. Then I go through the install of our game plan for that week. After that, I go on YouTube and watch “Legacy” with Ray Lewis. I’ll watch the entire thing, which lasts about 45 minutes to one hour. It’s a motivational video with bible verses that talk about leaving your legacy no matter what you're doing in life.
The pregame playlist after that depends on the mood I’m in. Sometimes it’s Rod Wave and Kodak Black, and NBA YoungBoy. Sometimes it’s Lil’ Boosie and Webbie. I have a variety of music on there.
JM: At the end of the week, what does a successful Senior Bowl look like for Jha’Quan Jackson?
Jha’Quan Jackson: The main thing is to come out healthy on the other side. This is a tough, physical sport. I’m going in healthy, and scouts want to see me leave healthy.
I’m going to showcase myself to be the dynamic player that I am. I’m going to show teams that I can create separation, run routes, and catch the ball. I can get off press coverage and attack the ball in the air.
I can do everything scouts want me to do.
