Slain NFL Player Awarded College Degree

STATESBORO, GA — Edwin Jackson, the Atlanta native and linebacker for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts who was killed in a February drunk-driving crash, was posthumously awarded his college degree on Saturday.

The degree was awarded Saturday at graduation ceremonies at Georgia Southern University, where Jackson studied and was a standout for the Eagles football team. Jackson's parents, Wesley and Mary Jackson, accepted his diploma from Curtis Ricker, dean of Georgia Southern's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

Ricker wiped away tears during the presentation.

The couple exchanged handshakes, then hugs, with Ricker and Georgia Southern President Jaimie Hebert. Then, what Wesley Jackson did raised goosebumps.

Walking back to his seat with the help of a cane, the senior Jackson, in a dark suit and straw hat, stopped and shouted a single word: "Georgia!"

At Paulson Stadium, where his son was a star, the entire crowd roared back their one-word response: "Southern!" Pumping his fists in the air, he repeated the call-and-response — a favorite among Eagles fans — two more times and students in their caps and gowns could be seen wiping away their own tears afterward.

Jackson was one of two people killed in a Feb. 4 crash in which police say a drunk driver barreled into a car Jackson was standing next to on the shoulder of a highway near Indianapolis. Authorities say Jackson was taking an Uber ride when he began feeling ill and the driver pulled over.

Jackson, 26, and driver Jeffrey Monroe, 54, were killed. Manuel Orrego-Savala, a native of Guatemala, was arrested and it was later learned he was in the country illegally, having been deported twice before.

The Indianapolis Colts established a $25,000 scholarship in Jackson's name. One of 11 children, Jackson played football and wrestled at Westlake High School in Atlanta. He was known as much for his generosity and charitable work off the field as for his drive and determination on it.

An undrafted free agent, he signed with the NFL's Arizona Cardinals, and then the Colts, starting as a practice squad player and working his way up to become at starter at inside linebacker in 2016.

He founded the Edwin Jackson 53 Foundation which works to help young athletes who, like Jackson himself, do not initially receive college scholarships.

The foundation also supports The PoundCake Club — using Jackson's own nickname — which promotes physical fitness and healthy lifestyle choices for children from underprivileged backgrounds. The club hosts fitness camps, after-school programs, field days and leadership development courses, as well as providing school supplies for students in need.

Watch the video of Jackson's parents accepting his diploma below:

Photo courtesy Georgia Southern University