Bama in the NFL: Eddie Jackson the Easy Pick for Best Chicago Bear
The Alabama Crimson Tide has had only two players drafted by the Chicago Bears since 1990. One played in a Super Bowl. The other was named an All-Pro.
Mark Anderson was the former. He was a fifth-round selection in 2006.
The other, and the only player drafted by the franchise during the Nick Saban era at Alabama, was Eddie Jackson.
You may remember that there were huge question marks surrounding Jackson entering the 2017 NFL Draft, although not necessarily about what he did on the field. He had a knack for turnovers, and a gift for turning them into points.
Jackson still holds the Crimson Tide record for career interception return yards with 303 on nine picks, and tied the program all-time career record for interception returns into the end zone with three.
Rather it was partly due to Jackson having arrived in Tuscaloosa as a wide receiver, moved to cornerback and started four games as a true freshman, and then switched to safety before his junior year. Those moves were in conjunction with the bigger concern, injuries. He suffered a torn ACL prior to his sophomore season (and somehow still came back and played in 11 games), and his Crimson Tide career ended when fracturing his left leg against Texas A&M.
As a testament to the respect he'd earned, Jackson was still named second-team all-SEC despite only playing eight games during his final season.
But NFL teams have a general guideline for the draft, that players who got hurt in college often suffer more injuries in the NFL, so Jackson slipped to the fourth round where the Bears snatched him up at No. 112 overall.
Although he had been unable to do anything physical during the combine, the former Alabama standout won the starting job in training camp. Jackson finished his rookie season with 73 tackles (55 solo), six pass deflections, two interceptions, two touchdowns, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in 16 games and 16 starts.
The next season he had 15 pass deflections, six interceptions, two forced fumbles, and three touchdowns scored en route to being named All-Pro.
On January 3, 2020, the Bears signed Jackson to a four-year $58.4 million contract extension, making him the highest paid safety in the NFL.
Bama in the NFL: Chicago Bears
The Franchise
National Football Conference
North Division
Team Colors: Navy Blue, Orange and White
Founded: 1920 in Decatur, Ill., and then moved to Chicago in 1921. It is one of only two remaining franchises from the NFL's founding in 1920, along with the Arizona Cardinals (also originally in Chicago).
Stadium: Soldier Field (61,500)
Playing Surface: Bermuda Grass
Training Camp: Halas Hall, Lake Forest, IL
All-Time Alabama Players
Crimson Tide Players Drafted
Super Bowl Appearances
Mark Anderson, Super Bowl XLI, Feb. 4, 2007
Anderson had two tackles and a fumble recovery that helped the Bears take an early lead, but the Colts pulled out the 29–17 victory.
Jerry Lai / USA Today Sports
Notable Awards/Honors
In conjunction with our revamped Bama in the NFL Database, this is the sixth story in a series examining the team-by-team history of Alabama's former players in the NFL.AFC
NFC
See Also
Bama in the NFL: The Ultimate Crimson Tide Database
Bama in the NFL: Active Alabama Crimson Tide Players by Team
