Nick Jackson reportedly reaches decision on Iowa's 2024 season

Nick Jackson is reportedly poised to come back to Iowa for one more season in 2024.

A former four-year contributor at Virginia, Jackson transferred to the Hawkeyes for 2023 and finished second on the Hawkeyes with 110 tackles. Originally expected to have just one year of eligibility in Iowa City, Jackson has petitioned the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility.

According to Scott Dochterman with The Athletic, Jackson has obtained a waiver for his 2022 season at Virginia. The Cavaliers canceled the remainder of that season following a tragic shooting that resulted in the death of 3 teammates.

Source: LB Nick Jackson has decided to return to Iowa for 1 more year. He obtained an NCAA waiver from the 2022 season at Virginia, which ended when 3 of his teammates were murdered.
Jackson has 4 consecutive 100-tackle seasons. He’s 113 shy of tying the NCAA career record (577).

— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) January 8, 2024

Once Jackson’s decision is officially announced, the Hawkeyes will have an elite core returning to the defense for the 2024 season. Jay Higgins, Iowa’s leading tackler and one of the top tacklers in the country with 171, has already announced plans to come back. Jackson and Higgins together will headline one of the most productive linebacker groups int he country.

In the secondary, Jermari Harris and Sebastian Castro are also set to return for another season. While the loss of Cooper DeJean is a big one, the talent and production returning to the program in Iowa City should have fans excited for 2024.