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Drafted 20th overall by the Houston Texans in the 2010 NFL Draft in April, Westside alum Kareem Jackson acknowledges that he has had a very good year.  Prior to his first round selection, the 5’11”, 195-pound cornerback helped the University of Alabama win the 2009 BCS National Championship when they defeated the University of Texas in January.

During his three years as a starter for the Crimson Tide, Jackson tallied 159 career tackles, five interceptions, two blocked kicks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.  These stats are impressive on their own, but throw in the fact that he did not play defense in high school and they become exceptional.

Just before heading west to Houston, where he signed a five-year, $13.1M contract, Kareem sat down with In The Game High School Sports Magazine to discuss the events of the last several months along with his expectations for his rookie season in the National Football League.

In The Game: At Westside High School, you were a running back.  What prompted the decision to switch you to the defensive side of the ball entering college?
Kareem Jackson: In high school, I played strictly offense.  I moved to defense when I went to prep school after high school.  Vanderbilt sent me there, and since they were going to switch me to cornerback, the coach at my prep school made me make the transition when I got there.

ITG: What is your most memorable moment from playing football at Westside High School?
KJ: I’d have to say that my most memorable moment would probably be getting the chance to play at the Georgia Dome in the semifinals [of the state championship] my sophomore year, which was the first time I got to play in that kind of setting.

ITG: We know that middle school and high school coaches focus primarily on teaching the fundamentals of the game.  Which of your coaches at that level would you credit with influencing your development as a football player?
KJ: Coach Robert Davis was my head coach at Westside, so I credit him and his entire staff with helping me develop as a player.  They constantly took us through the fundamentals every day, teaching us the little things and how to do them.  That helped me out a lot and has gotten me where I am today.  I also definitely give credit to [current Westside head coach] Sheddrick Risper, because we do a lot of offseason work together to this day and he’s really helped me out a lot.

ITG: What colleges offered you a football scholarship, and how did you make the decision to play for the University of Alabama?
KJ: After my season at the prep school, I had about 25 offers [including Auburn University, Boston College and the University of Tennessee], so I narrowed it down to about three schools.  I went on my visit to the University of Alabama knowing that they were going through a coaching change, so getting a chance to play for a coach like Coach [Nick] Saban was a great opportunity at that time.  Also being on that campus and knowing the tradition of its program helped me make the decision to go to Alabama.

ITG: Describe the transition from playing for Robert Davis at Westside High School to playing for Nick Saban at the University of Alabama.
KJ: I went from being coached by Robert Davis, who is a laidback coach that doesn’t really do a whole lot of fussing and cussing, to playing for Coach Saban, who was all business.  If you did something wrong, he was going to let you know, because there were no pats on the back with him.  If you did something right, of course he was going to tell you good job, but they were totally different coaches with two different coaching styles.  But they both were very good coaches and I give them both a lot of credit for me being in the position that I’m in today.

ITG: As a freshman playing for the Crimson Tide, you started in all but one game and were named Second Team Freshman All-American.  How were you able to find success at the collegiate level so quickly, especially since you were playing a new position?
KJ: I think my success came from the fact that I was able to take the coaching and do exactly what they were telling me to do and trust and buy into what we had going on at the University of Alabama.  It all boiled down to me putting in the work in the offseason and during the season to be in shape and stay sharp at what I do.  I was able to take the things that I learned in the meeting rooms and apply that on the field and pay attention to the little things.

ITG: In a rematch of the 2008 SEC Championship game in which Alabama came up short, your Crimson Tide got the better of a good Florida team in 2009 to win the school’s first SEC Championship in a decade.  You had an excellent game with six tackles and two pass break-ups.  Describe the team’s emotions leading up to and following that victory that propelled you into the National Championship game.
KJ: I think that game showed how hard we worked in the offseason.  After we lost in the SEC Championship and the Sugar Bowl in 2008, going into the offseason workouts, we marked that game on our schedule.  Everybody was committed to the goal of getting back to the SEC Championship game.  We didn’t want to have that same sour taste that we had after that game the year before.  So once we took care of business the whole season and were able to get back to that game, we just weren’t going to be denied.  We went out there and took care of business and got the chance to play in the National Championship game and we took care of business in that game too.  I think it was a team effort.  Everybody made a commitment and we bought into what the coaches wanted us to do. We all had one goal in mind all season.

ITG: Describe what it was like to defeat Texas and win the 2009 BCS National Championship game.
KJ: It was very exciting.  It’s what everybody dreams of as a kid, just watching that game and telling yourself that you want to be in a position to get a chance to play for a national championship.  Fortunately, it happened for me and it was a dream come true.  It’s probably my best sports experience so far – hopefully I have many more to come – but just getting a chance to play in that game was awesome.

ITG: How did you enjoy going to the White House and meeting President Barack Obama following your National Championship victory?
KJ: It was a fun experience.  We spent a little time with him, but he’s a busy man.  He gave a little speech about the team and took some pictures with us, so it will definitely be a lasting memory.

ITG: What prompted your decision to leave the University of Alabama after your junior year and enter the NFL Draft?
KJ: Going into the year, I wanted to do everything I possibly could to be in a situation to make a decision on whether to come out or stay in.  I felt I did that.  I felt I had a good season and I had proven myself at the college level as a corner that could cover as well as come up and tackle and help against the run.  I told myself that if I continued to play well and have big games in the SEC Championship and the National Championship that I was going to send my papers in and see what they say, so that’s what I did.  I felt that it was just the right time to take the next step in my football career.

ITG: What were your expectations entering the NFL Draft and how did you feel about being drafted in the First Round?
KJ: When I sent my papers in, I got feedback that I could go as high as the second round.  So I told myself that I’d have a good workout [at the combine and during my pro day] because I was going to work hard and get better at the things I needed to get better in.  So once I got that feedback it was enough for me to get my mind set on what I needed to do  and then I worked out every day with that goal in mind.

I was very excited [about being drafted 20th overall].  That was another dream come true for me.  From the combine to my pro day – once I had proven the things I needed to prove over those two days – I kind of knew I was going to go in the first round, but I just didn’t know where.  Once I heard my name though, there was a lot of relief for me knowing that whole process was over and it was time to get to work.  I was very excited for myself and for my family because they have always supported me.

ITG: What were your first impressions of the city, the stadium/facilities and the organization upon arriving in Houston?
KJ: The Texans have a nice facility.  It’s one of the newer stadiums in the league since they’ve only been around as an organization for a few years.  It’s a great city that kind of reminds me of Atlanta, just a whole lot bigger.  There are a lot of great people around and it’s going to be a fun experience.  I’m looking forward to living in Houston.

ITG: How do you think Coach Saban’s pro-style defense has prepared you to play in the NFL?
KJ: It helped me out a whole lot.  Playing that type of defense for that type of coach is very demanding.  He wanted everything done right and he wanted it done how he wanted it done.  Playing a defense that technical and being able to retain all that information from week to week has helped me a lot as well.  If I was able to retain all that information in college, I feel like I’ll be able to retain anything as far as a game plan goes now.  It took time, but I was able to take it in and I knew it was going to prepare me for the next level.  

ITG: The coaching staff of the Texans has shown a great deal of faith and confidence in you, already slotting you as a starter as the right side cornerback.  How do you respond to their immediate confidence in your abilities and how much pressure are you feeling to perform at this point?
KJ: I don’t really feel any pressure at all.  I’m doing something that I love and have been doing ever since I was a kid.  I’m just going to go out there and play ball and learn from the other guys and listen to the things that my coaches are telling me.  I just want to get there and contribute to the team in any way possible.  If that’s with a starting role then I’ll be ready to take that on and do the things that I need to do to be successful.

ITG: Who are you looking to within the Texans organization to mentor you as you adjust to the level of play in the NFL?
KJ: Just in the little time that I’ve been there a couple of guys have been talking to me about some things.  One of the corners, Glover Quinn, has helped me out a whole lot as far as learning things.  And there are two guys there that went to the University of Alabama [Antoine Caldwell and DeMeco Ryans] who have helped me out as far as teaching me the ropes, so I’ve been leaning on them in certain situations.

ITG: Based on what you have experienced in spring practice and Organized Team Activities, what kind of adjustments have you had to make from playing at the collegiate level to the professional level?
KJ: The game speed is a lot faster so I’ve had to kind of speed up my thinking and the things that I do as far as playing and making my reads.  I have also changed my technique a whole lot from playing a press man every play to playing four yards up in a shuffle technique.

ITG: What are your goals and expectations as you head into your rookie season as a Houston Texan?
KJ: I just want to go in and contribute to the team in any way possible, special teams or playing in the actual defense, and just make a name for myself.  I want the guys to know that they can count on me because I’m doing my job.  I just want to be another piece of the puzzle so that we can get things running smoothly and be a contender in the playoffs.

ITG: How has your life changed since being drafted?
KJ: I don’t really think my life has changed any.  I’m still the same guy and I still hang out with my same group of friends.  I might have just a little bit more money in my pocket, but other than that, I don’t think I’ve changed a bit.

ITG: I’m sure a lot of Georgia high school football players look up to you. What’s the one piece of advice that you would give a young football player?
KJ: The main thing is that at the high school level, you’ve got to be sure you’re taking care of those grades and your SAT and ACT test scores.  Get on that as soon as possible, because you don’t want to have to go through the things that I had to do as far as going to prep school.  Listen to your coaches.  Stay out of trouble and keep your nose clean.  Listen to your parents or whoever you have at home because they are going to be the ones to support you.  Set goals for yourself about things you want to accomplish throughout the season whether it’s on or off the field.  If you have goals in mind, you’re always working toward something.

ITG: Other than football, what are some of your interests?
KJ: Even before now, I’ve always done a lot of shoe shopping.  I collect a lot of movies, so in my down time, I like to spend it watching movies.  I try to buy movies about two times a week, so if I have my bed and a good movie, I’m fine.  •