Iowa State’s Daniel Jackson Nominated For Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award

DALLAS (FWAA) — Iowa State’s Daniel Jackson is this week’s nominee for the 2023 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Jackson, a redshirt junior, has become a big contributor for the Cyclones after getting injured in a serious car accident in high school and after breaking his foot as a college freshman.

“Fractured my nasal cavity,” Jackson told the Des Moines (Iowa) Register this season. “I tried to stop, but the brakes locked up. The first doctor I saw said I’d never play football again.”

Jackson stayed conscious and escaped the vehicle before it became engulfed in flames. He had a plate inserted into his head, too. Doctors told his parents that he was lucky to be alive.

The Cibolo, Texas native had already missed the first three games of his senior season at Byron P. Steele II High School because of mononucleosis. The wide receiver recovered quickly enough to play in what ended up being the final game of his high school career, a playoff loss to Westlake.

Iowa State never wavered in its commitment to Jackson, who had five catches in his first four games of his freshman season with the Cyclones in 2020. Then he broke his foot, costing him the remainder of his rookie season but allowing him to take a redshirt.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Jackson has 14 catches this season for 235 yards and two touchdowns. He had a breakout day in a September win over Oklahoma State to open Big 12 play, catching six passes for 90 yards and two scores.

Jackson has 23 career catches for 291 yards and two touchdowns. His Cyclones are 6-4 overall and are in a four-way tie for second place in the Big 12 as they ready to host Texas in their home finale this Saturday night.

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