4/29/2022 football Edit

Nebraska OLB and former Navy SEAL Damian Jackson enters the transfer portal

Sean Callahan • InsideNebraska

Publisher

Sean Callahan has worked with Rivals.com since 2000, and has been the Publisher of HuskerOnline since 2007. He also reports for KETV Channel 7 in Omaha, NET's Big Red Wrap-Up and KFAB Radio in Omaha.

Nebraska outside linebacker and former Navy SEAL Damian Jackson will play his sixth season of college football elsewhere.

Both Jackson and defensive lineman Chris Walker entered the transfer portal on Friday afternoon. Earlier in the day, Husker freshman WR Latrell Neville also entered the transfer portal.

Jackson's entry comes after playing in 20 games over the last four seasons. In 2017, Jackson redshirted in his first year as a walk-on under Mike Riley.

The Las Vegas native never played high school football and joined the team after an open tryout. He was originally cut from the team, but later convived Riley and his staff to give him a shot. Jackson eventually went on scholarship in 2020.

Jackson will turn 30 in July and he earned his bachelor's degree last December.

ESPN's College GameDay featured Jackson, as he was the 2021 Armed Forces Merit Award winner. The Armed Forces Merit Award is presented annually to honor an individual and/or a group with a military background and/or involvement that has an impact within the realm of college football.

As for Walker, he was not on the Huskers' official roster this spring but was around the program helping out at practices.

The 6-foot-6, 270-pound Walker saw action in seven games over five years at NU. He has one year of eligibility remaining, and he graduated from UNL this past December.