‘Reaping the benefits.’ Lucky Jackson put in the work. Now he’s playing for an XFL title.
For D.C. Defenders wide receiver — and former Lafayette and Western Kentucky standout — Lucky Jackson, the path to professional football was an uncertain one. But one he knew he had to keep pursuing.
Not too far removed from graduating college during a pandemic and not playing football for a year and a half, Jackson has reached new highs in the XFL.
Jackson ranked fifth in the league in receiving yards with 573 yards on 36 catches and five touchdowns. He was named to the All-XFL Offensive Team and played a large part in the Defenders’ league-best overall 9-1 record. D.C. will face the Arlington Renegades in Saturday’s XFL championship game.
Despite the uncertainties leading up to this season, something pushed him to keep going. If you were to ask him what that was, he’s not sure he’d be able to tell you.
“Honestly, I ask myself that sometimes because it was very difficult,” Jackson said. “It was a long year and a half just not playing or not hearing anything like that. So honestly, I give all the credit to God just because there was times where I had to truly lean on my faith and really just believe it, even though I didn’t see it at the time. So I just trusted the process and I continued to put the work in and here I am now reaping the benefits of that.”
Those benefits include, but are not limited to, a shoutout from former NFL wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, the opportunity to create an apparel brand, and the chance to play for a league title.
So, you could say everything’s coming up Lucky.
Jackson went undrafted by the NFL in 2020 following a career that put him in the WKU record books. He graduated second in program history with 209 catches and third with 2,680 yards, as well as tied for second with nine 100-yard receiving games for the Hilltoppers.
Jackson never worked out for an NFL team nor received a minicamp invite.
His first introduction to professional football arrived with The Spring League, which focused on player development. He played one season with the TSL Blues in 2021 prior to a CFL opportunity in 2022.
“Stemming from (the TSL),” Jackson said, “I really didn’t have any NFL eyes or anything like that. It wasn’t until I went to a CFL camp. And I ended up getting invited to the camp there at Winnipeg. I did do a few months, did the preseason at Winnipeg and got released after that. And then I got brought on by Edmonton for the last five weeks of their season this past year.”
Jackson was contacted by the XFL after that season. He was selected by the Defenders in the league’s draft.
XFL Coach of the Year Reggie Barlow said Jackson has always stood out.
“Lucky has been great to coach,” Barlow said. “He has great spirit every day. He works hard every day. I remember when it was cold when we first started. He’d be the only receiver that’s out there with no sleeves and I’m like, ‘Man, where is this guy from?’ … But just a tough guy. Extremely smart. Plays the game really fast, picks up on offense, you know the way he’s been doing. So just a solid player, a team guy. He’s asked to be on special teams, he’s contributed on special teams, and really has done a good job for us on special teams. So definitely happy to have Lucky.”
Since arriving at the start of the year, he’s caught the eye of many. Most notably, perhaps, Ochocinco.
In April, Ochocinco tweeted his admiration for the XFL wide receiver and later added that he’d see Jackson “on Sundays.”
For Jackson, that was huge.
“Just being able to be acknowledged by someone who’s a legend at the position that I play is always something that you dream of as a kid,” Jackson said. “And it was just cool to be able to interact with someone like that. So I saw the tweet, I couldn’t believe it. Honestly, it took me a little bit to respond. I didn’t respond until the next day. Just to make sure I said the right things.”
Jackson said he looked up to Ochocinco as a player growing up, but he also named LeBron James, as well as his aunt Schlondia “Missy” Jackson, as role models.
His aunt played basketball at Western Kentucky as also earned a gold medal at the 1993 U.S. Olympic Festival.
“My aunt (Schlondia),” Jackson said, “she’s a great role model. Someone that was a DI athlete and things like that. I always was very close to her, and she instilled a lot of leadership just things like that in me that helped me become the person I am today. Also LeBron’s an athlete that I admire a lot, just the way he presents himself on and off the floor, being on the level that he’s on, and he just does it the right way.”
Jackson is grateful for all the love and support he’s received throughout his football career, and he’s recently found a way to help fans wear that support with Lucky Jackson Apparel. The brand went live in March, and sells shirts and sweatshirts with his four-leaf clover logo.
“Just knowing that I have like such a strong fan base and a lot of support behind me,” Jackson said. “The Lucky brand and Lucky apparel was always something that I kind of wanted to push forward. But now I’m at a point in my career where I have the platform and the momentum to kind of push that and get that out there.”
That momentum has carried Jackson and his team to a shot at a league championship. Jackson said the team is approaching this game just like every other one.
“It’s another day in the office,” Jackson said. “And I don’t mean to downplay the championship at all. We know we have at stake and we know what we want, but we’re also not going to make the moment too big or anything like that. We’re going to continue to put the work in like we always have. Do our film study and approach this week like it’s Week 6. We’re going to take care of business. Our team has a common goal. Our coaches are all in and we can’t wait til Saturday gets here.”
XFL championship
Arlington Renegades vs. D.C. Defenders
When: 8 p.m. ET
Where: Alamodome in San Antonio
TV: ABC-36
This story was originally published May 12, 2023 at 2:06 PM.
