EX-SEAL makes big impression on Buffalo’s squad
AMHERST, N.Y. — Buffalo defensive end Damian Jackson has no expectation of growing emotional as he prepares for the final game of his college career next week.
At 30, and having had a healthy share of real-life experiences during two tours of duty with the Navy SEALS, Jackson isn’t built that way. Unlike many of his younger teammates, Jackson is independent, unsentimental and selfaware enough to appreciate where football fits into his world.
“I’m a terrible person to ask because, quite frankly, I don’t care,” Jackson said with a chuckle, looking ahead to the Bulls (6-6) facing Georgia Southern (6-6) in the Camellia Bowl on Tuesday.
“It’s not like, ‘Oh, I’m nervous,’ or I’ve got to ball out or I got to do this or do that. I’m just going to be the same person I was,” he added. “There’s no butterflies or anything going in, or regret of, ‘I can’t believe this is my last game.’ It’s just one more game, keep going and then on to the next step.”
Jackson never played organized football until walking on at Nebraska in 2017. He eventually decided on football as a career path after finishing his service with the SEALS by joking that, at 6-foot-2 and 263 pounds, he was “too big and fat” to pursue baseball or soccer.
He got a chance to start and play in a defensive role after transferring to Buffalo in June as a graduate senior. But Jackson is grounded enough to know his best chance at an NFL career is on special teams, and specifically long-snapping.
While he’s never snapped in a college game, Jackson spends time before and after practice honing his craft, and plans to return to Nebraska to work with the Cornhuskers staff before attending Buffalo’s pre-draft pro day.
With his muscular arms, long hair and unruly beard, Jackson has already attracted the attention of Buffalo alum and former NFL assistant coach Jim Mcnally, who works as a consultant for the Cincinnati Bengals.
“I’m going to the wall for this kid,” Mcnally said. “A lot of NFL scouts say, ‘Well, he’s too old.’ I say, a 30-yearold SEAL is in better shape than an 18-year-old human.”
In taking Jackson under his wing, Mcnally envisions how much the prospect will wow scouts with his athletic ability based on his military training alone.
“OK, he never played football but you can imagine the heart he’s got,” Mcnally said.
For someone best considered an introvert — “Honestly, I don’t really like talking to people” — Jackson has made a big impression in Buffalo.
“You wish you could have a guy like Damian Jackson with you forever,” coach Maurice Linguist said.
“You probably don’t have the vocabulary and the words to express really how much of a great example he is to what it should look like, and who you should be,” he added. “He’s got the great balance of humility and confidence because he prepares and trains the right way. He’s one of the hardest-working guys I’ve ever been around and one of the most selfless.”
In 12 games with Buffalo, Jackson has been in on 22 tackles, recovered a fumble and enjoyed his first college career sack in a 30-27 overtime loss to Kent State lats month.
Linguist smiled in recalling the sack, which helped limit Kent State to a field goal.
“He made that sack exactly in the manner of who he is. It was an effort sack,” Linguist said. “He didn’t come off the ball and beat the guy clean. He out-strengthened the guy who was trying to block him.”