Alabama’s Eddie Jackson Selected by the Chicago Bears in the Fourth Round of 2017 NFL Draft
University of Alabama defensive back Eddie Jackson was selected with the No. 5 pick in the fourth round by the Chicago Bears on the final day of the 2017 National Football League Draft Saturday afternoon at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Jackson was the 10th Alabama player selected in the 2017 Draft, joining teammates Marlon Humphrey (Baltimore, Round 1), Jonathan Allen (Washington, Round 1), O.J. Howard (Tampa Bay, Round 1), Reuben Foster (San Francisco, Round 1), Cam Robinson (Jacksonville, Round 2), Ryan Anderson (Washington, Round 2), Dalvin Tomlinson (New York Giants, Round 2), Tim Williams (Baltimore, Round 3) and ArDarius Stewart (New York Jets, Round 3).
This year’s NFL Draft was a record-setter for Alabama. The 10 selections is a record for the Crimson Tide under Nick Saban. The previous high was nine in the 2013 NFL Draft. The 10 picks is also an all-time record for Alabama in a seven-round draft and equals the most taken in any NFL Draft. Ten Crimson Tide players were selected in what was then a 32-round draft in 1945.
Alabama’s nine selections in the first three rounds was the most of any school at the 2017 Draft. The seven Crimson Tide players chosen in in the first 55 picks on Thursday and Friday is a new Draft record. The nine Alabama selections in the first 80 picks is also a first in NFL Draft history.
The captain of the Alabama secondary, Jackson earned second team All-SEC honors from the conference coaches, despite playing in only eight games due to a leg injury. The Lauderdale Lakes, Fla., native owns the Alabama record for career interception return yards with 303 on nine picks. Jackson registered 24 total tackles, two pass breakups and an interception in 2016. Also averaged 23.0 yards per punt return on 11 attempts with two touchdowns last season.