Saskatchewan Roughriders running back Deon Jackson is about to make his first CFL start on Saturday afternoon, and with it comes an impressive pedigree.
Not only has he played in the NFL, but he’s also absolutely dominated when he was out there.
Back in Week 6 of the 2022 campaign, Jackson slotted into the lineup as an injury replacement for the Indianapolis Colts and went off, rushing for 121 yards and a touchdown. He played in 16 games that season, putting up 436 all-purpose yards.
Stops with the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants followed, as well as a stint in 2024 with the D.C. Defenders of the UFL. Now Jackson is set to bring his talents to Mosaic Stadium against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday.
“I just got here a month ago, but I’m excited to get out there,” Jackson said after the Riders walkthrough on Friday. He was among six players Saskatchewan signed at the end of September.
“I haven't played football in a little minute – it's been like five months – so I'm just excited to play in my third professional league and first CFL game. It’s a great atmosphere out here. I've been to a couple of home games since I've been here and I'm just excited to play in front of these Rider fans.”
Jackson has had a chance to pick up some of the nuances of the CFL game thanks to his time on the practice roster and admits that getting used to the extra defender and the size of the field have been the biggest factors.
The hope is that his abilities will overcome any initial shortcomings that might be there in his rookie debut.
“I just want to show everyone that I'm a tough running back, tough player, smart,” Jackson said. “Show my athleticism, show my speed, my quickness, everything I've worked on and what I can do.”
Jackson has had plenty of help from the running back room, too, as he’s been able to draw on experienced veterans A.J. Ouellette and Thomas Bertrand-Hudon. Ouellette is sidelined with a neck injury in Week 21, while Bertrand-Hudon will back up Jackson.
“I've gotten in the playbook, meeting with my coach extra, talking to players,” Jackson said of how he’s prepared for the game. “A.J. has been giving me a lot of tips. Thomas has been giving me a lot of tips and stuff like that to make sure that I'm ready for tomorrow. I'm just excited to go out there and show it.”
That effort to learn the game hasn’t gone unnoticed by the coaching staff.
“He's jumped on the playbook really well,” said Riders coach Corey Mace. “We’ve seen flashes of him throughout practice and what he's able to do with the ball in his hands or out of the backfield. Then just making sure his eyes are where they're supposed to be and protecting the quarterback. He's in a great job looking at his film prior to coming here and why we were excited to get him.”
Jackson’s traits when he has the ball in his hands also have the Riders interested in what he can do against the Elks.
“He's a physical back as well, so looking forward to seeing that in the game,” Mace said. “He’s similar to some other really great backs in that he tends to fall forward, which you love, but he can make you miss, too. Just excited for him and his opportunity.”
And if that first game goes anything like it did in Indianapolis, it could be a special day indeed for the Duke University grad.
“Being able to stay in the NFL as long as I did, it was just a lot of hard work and a lot of dreams come true,” Jackson said. “Just playing professional football in general has always been a dream of mine. I'm just happy that I keep getting to live my dream every day.”
The Rider Broadcast Network pre-game show begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, featuring plenty of special guests to get you set up for the regular season finale. Then Dave Thomas and Luc Mullinder will have the game call at kickoff at 1 p.m.
